1

Ibn Katheer

The Valley Came Alive

Life of the Last Messenger

Taken from

Al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah

Translation & Compiled By: Darussalam Research Center

Published By: Darussalam Publishers & Distributers

Copyright: Darussalam Publishers

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic of mechanical,
including photocopying and recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the
written permission of the publisher.

Contents

Preface to the Revision ................................................................................................................................ 5

Publisher’s Preface ....................................................................................................................................... 7
The Biography of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) ............................ 8
Chapter on Mention of His Illustrious Lineage and the Nobility of His Excellent Origins ......................... 8
Chapter on The Birth of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) ................ 10
A Description of His Noble Birth (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) ....................................... 11
His Nursemaids and Wet Nurses................................................................................................................ 15
2
Wet-Nursing of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) by Haleemah Bint Abi Dhu’aib
As-Sa‘diyyah 15
Regarding His Journey With His Uncle, Abu Talib to Ash-Sham and What Happened With Baheera, the
Monk 18
Regarding His Upbringing and Allah’s Sufficiency for Him, His Protection of Him ............................... 18
The Part Played By the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in the Sacrilegious War.... 19
The Part Played By the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in the Treaty of Al-Fudool
(Virtuous) 20
Marriage of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)to Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid Ibn Asad
Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Uzza Ibn Qusayy ................................................................................................................... 21
Quraish’s Rebuilding of the Ka‘bah Five Years Before the Start of His Prophetic Mission ..................... 22
The Book of the Sending of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and
Mention of the Signs of That 25
The Story of ‘Amr Ibn Murrah Al-Juhani 29
Regarding the Communications of the Jinns: Being the Words They Placed On the Lips of the Soothsayers
and Which They Caused to Be Heard From Within the Idols 32
Chapter on How the Revelation Began to Come to the Messenger of Allah And Mention of the First Thing
Revealed to Him From the Qur’an............................................................................................................. 35
Mention of His Age at the Time When He Was Sent and the History of It ............................................... 36
Section Regarding the Prevention of the Jinn and the Repelling of the Shayatin (devils) from Eavesdropping
When the Qur’an Was Revealed 41
Section Regarding How the Revelation Came to the Messenger of Allah ................................................ 43
Section Regarding the First People to Embrace Islam, Then Mention of the Earliest Companions to
Embrace Islam 45
The Story of How Hamzah Ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib, the Paternal Uncle of the Prophet, Embraced Islam .... 49
The Story of How Abu Dharr Embraced Islam.......................................................................................... 51
The Story of How Dimad Embraced Islam ................................................................................................ 51
The Story of Al-Irashi and the Quraish’s Attempt at Harming the Prophet............................................... 56
Heightened Persecution of Weak Muslims 58
The polytheists’ disputation of the Messenger of Allah and his establishing an irrefutable proof on them
and their acknowledgement of the Truth 62
Hijrah of those who migrated among the Companions of Allah’s Messenger from Makkah to Abyssinia64
A Mention of (Abu Bakr) As-Siddiq’s Resolve to Migrate to Abyssinia .................................................. 74
The Mentioning of the Annulment of the Pact of Boycott 75
The Story of ‘A’sha Banu Qais Ibn Tha‘labah 78
The Story of the Wrestling of Rukanah and How He Sees the Tree Which the Prophet Called and It Returned
78
The Journey by Night of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, from Makkah to
Jerusalem and then his ascension there from to the heavens 81
The Splitting of the Moon in the Time of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him ........ 86
The Death of Abu Talib, the uncle of Allah’s Messenger and soon after, Khadeejah Bint Khuwaiylid, the
wife of Allah’s Messenger 86
Concerning the death of Khadeejah and a mention of some of her excellence and virtues ....................... 87

3
The Prophet’s Marriage to ‘A’ishah Bint Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and Sawdah Bint Zam‘ah ....................... 88
Allah’s Messenger Goes to the People of At-Ta’if to Invite Them to Allah and to the Aid of His Religion
and They Reject Him 89
Arrival of the Delegates of the Ansar Year After Year Till They Pledge Allegiance One After the Other92
Iyas Ibn Mu‘adh’s Acceptance of Islam 92
The Dawn of Islam Among the Ansar 94
The Story of the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah 96
Commencement of the Migration to Madinah 99
Circumstances Leading to the Migration of Allah’s Messenger101
Migration of Allah’s Messenger from Makkah to Madinah along with Abu Bakr As-Siddiq................. 103
The Story of Umm Ma’bad Al-Khuzaa’iyyah 110
Prophet Muhammad’s Entry into Madinah, where He Established His Residence, and Related Issues.. 111
Notable events and occurrences of the first year of the hijrah of the Prophet.......................................... 115
Abdullah Ibn Salam Accepts Islam 116
Khutbah of the Messenger of Allah on that Day 117
The Building of his Noble Mosque During His Stay at the Residence of Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansari ......... 118
Story of the Construction of the Prophet’s Mosque upon his plan119
A Reminder on the Excellence of this Noble and Exalted Mosque119
The Fever of Madinah Afflicts the Muhajiroon, but the Messenger was Spared by the Wisdom and Power
of Allah (SWT). He Supplicated Allah and He Removed the Fever from Madinah ............................... 120
Establishment of a Pact of Brotherhood Between the Muhajiroon and the Ansar ................................... 121
The Prophet’s Formation of Brotherhood Between the Muhajiroon and the Ansar ................................ 122
The death of Abu Umamah As’ad Ibn Zurarah, One of the Twelve Delegates on the Night of the Pledge of
'Aqabah 123
The Birth of Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair in Shawwal, the year of Hijrah .................................................... 124
Allah’s Messenger Consummated His Marriage with 'A’ishah in Shawwal ........................................... 124
The Legislation of Adhan (the call to prayer) Upon the Arrival of the Prophet in Madinah ................... 124
Expedition of Hamzah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib 125
The Expedition of Ubaidah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Abdul-Muttalib125
Expedition of Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas 125
Events of the Second Year of Hijrah 125
The Book of Military Expedition 126
Those Who Accepted Islam Among the Jews Out of Dissimulation ....................................................... 128
The first military expedition was the expedition of Al-Abwa’ Also Referred to as the Battle of Waddan
128
The Ghazwah of Buwat Toward Radwa 129
Detachment of Abdullah Ibn Jahsh Which Was Incidental to the Great Battle of Badr .......................... 130
The Changing of the Qiblah in the Second Year of Hijrah Prior to the Battle of Badr ........................... 131
The Obligation of Fast of Ramadan in the Second Year Prior to the Battle of Badr ............................... 133

4
 Preface to the Revision
In the Name of Allah (SWT), the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

All praise and thanks be to Allah (SWT), Who revived knowledge of His religion and caused it to blossom
forth after it had all but disappeared, and Who demolished the false conjectures of the apostates. I praise
Him and I seek refuge with Him from the sins which weigh upon the backs of mankind. I worship Him and
seek His aid in removing hindrances and difficulties in the practice of my religion. I bear witness that none
has the right to be worshipped except Allah (SWT), Alone, without partners and I bear witness that
Muhammad – who, by Allah’s leave, brought about the dawn of faith to the darkness and misguidance
which existed in the hearts of mankind – is the slave and Messenger of Allah. May the Blessings and Peace
of Allah be upon him in perpetuity.

O, Allah! We seek Your favor and through You we seek to ward off affliction. We ask You to protect us
and to grant us mercy. Our Lord! Make not our hearts deviate after You have already guided us. Make it
easy for us to perform our deeds in the way that You have taught us. Make us grateful for what You have
given us and make plain a path for us which leads to You. Open up the doors between us and You by which
we may arrive before You. To You belong the keys to the heavens and the Earth and You are Most Able to
do all things. To proceed:

Among the blessings which Allah (SWT) has bestowed upon us, the community of Muslims is that He has
made it easy for us to follow the path of guidance, and He has opened the doors of knowledge by making
available to us these new publications, which present to us the writings of the early scholars and reveal to
us what they said regarding legal verdicts, history, events, information and lessons. These scholars opened
a clear beacon of light for all those Muslims seeking guidance and they set up for us a signpost in which
there is neither deviation nor crookedness. Whoever follows it will arrive safely at his desired destination
and whoever diverts from it will be lost forever. They have written these books and treatises and made clear
to us therein events, information and virtues. Among such books is this unique work, Al-Bidayah Wan-
Nihayah, by the Imam, the Hafiz, the master scholar of hadeeth, ‘Imaduddeen Isma‘eel Ibn Katheer Al-
Qurashi – may Allah have mercy on him. This book was greeted with approval by the vast majority of
Muslims. No Islamic library would be complete without it. In it, the author has recorded what Allah, Most
High has made easy for him about the history of mankind, from the beginning of creation, starting with the
creation of the Throne and the Kursi (Footstool), the heavens and the Earth and all that they contain and all
that lies between them, such as the angels, the jinn and the devils. He also described how Adam (Peace be
upon him) was created, and told the stories of the prophets up to the days of the Children of Isra’eel and the
Days of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah), until the advent of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him), which heralded the end of Prophethood. He then recorded his Seerah. Then he recorded the
events which took place up to his own time. He also spoke of the trials and battles, the signs of the approach
of the Hour, then the sending forth of mankind and the terrors of the Resurrection, which he described in
detail. He then described the Hell-fire, with all its horrors, and Paradise and all the good things contained
therein. He called this particular volume of his book: AnNihayah Fil-Fitan Wal-Malahim (The Ending in
Trials and Battles). As for the book which is in our hands today, it is Al-Bidayah.

By Allah’s Grace, I came to know brother Abdul Malik Mujahid, the general manager of Darussalam
Publishing in Riyadh. He visited me in my humble office in Damascus and suggested to me the idea of
creating a summarized version of this wonderful book. I prayed for Allah’s Guidance in the matter and
sought help from Him in completing the project. Allah (SWT) enabled me to make the acquaintance of a
number of people of knowledge and experience in this field and a plan of action for the work was written.
It consisted of ten principal points and we then started the task, seeking help from the Lord of the heavens
and the Earth. All of us exerted our utmost efforts in this task, making repeated revisions and corrections,
until we reached the point where, by Allah’s Permission, we completed it and it was published in the form
which is in your hands today.

5
The Plan of Action for This Book:

1. Summarization of the text. This was achieved by concentrating on the most important events narrated
in the book. In doing so, we took care not to leave out any important details which would cause loss of
meaning or import.

2. We relied on a number of printed and handwritten copies of the book and in cases where any
contradiction or omission was found, we succeeded in establishing the most accurate and authentic text.

3. We left out the ahadeeth which proved to be baseless or weak and confined ourselves to the ahadeeth
which are authentic or hasan and those which are acceptable due to the existence of other supporting
narrations. On rare occasions, when it was found that there were no other ahadeeth in the chapter, we
included some weak ahadeeth whose weakness was not of an extreme nature.

4. We performed takhreej of the ahadeeth with ascription of the number of the section and the page, the
number of the hadeeth and in many cases, the precise location of the hadeeth in the original source, then
the ruling on its authenticity, if it was not from the Saheehain, because the ahadeeth therein do not
require any ruling on their authenticity and they have been widely accepted by the Muslim Ummah. As
for the ahadeeth in this book, we have relied on the opinions of the Imams and scholars of hadeeth –
including the earlier scholars, the later scholars and those of the present day. On some occasions, we
have recorded the weak ahadeeth, while making it plain that they are not authentic. We have not omitted
them because the author has included them in order to warn the people against them due to their
widespread popularity amongst the Muslims in general. In such cases, we desired not to oppose the
author in this effort and so we left them, at the same time making the scholars’ ruling on them clear, so
as to warn the people against them.

5. We summarized the asaneed present in the book, in most cases mentioning only the Companion who
narrated the hadeeth, or the person who reported it from him.

6. We omitted many of the Isra’eeliyyat found in this book which the author referred to in the preface,
where he said: “We do not record the Isra’eeliyyat except those which the Lawgiver has permitted, i.e.,
those which do not contradict the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him). These are stories which are neither believed nor belied and they have been
recorded because they provide details of unclarified narratives that we have, or they provide names for
people and places that have only been mentioned in passing in our Revelation, due to there being no
benefit in specifying them for us. Thus we have reported them in order to provide extra detail and not
with the intention of citing them as evidence or placing any reliance on them. Only the Book of Allah
and the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) may be relied
and depended upon. It is from Allah that we seek help and it is He in Whom we place our trust; there is
no help and no power except in Allah, the All-Powerful, the Most Wise, the Most High, the Almighty.

7. In some instances, we have referred back to the original manuscript in order to verify the wording of a
hadeeth from its source. In some cases, the author has combined two narrations of the same hadeeth
together and so where this has occurred, we have noted it and separated the two narrations, placing our
own words between brackets, i.e., (and in another narration…) and we have also identified the source
of the addition in the footnotes.

8. We have written the Qur’anic Verses in the Uthmani script, in conformity with the copy of the Qur’an
published by Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Printing Complex.

9. We vowelised the words of many of the ahadeeth in the book and, in addition, the poetic verses,
wherever possible.

10. We mentioned the meters of the poetic verses between parentheses.

6
11. We explained the meanings of some difficult or obscure words, relying on dictionaries, books containing
ghareeb ahadeeth and narrations and other sources.

12. We furnished a brief biography of the author, Hafiz Ibn Katheer though in reality, he requires no
introduction and no description.

Finally, I ask Allah, Most High, to accept this humble work from us and to acknowledge it as having been
done purely and sincerely with the aim of pleasing Him and to grant us and our brothers, who assisted us
in the production of this book, pardon and forgiveness in religious and secular matters. In addition, we ask
Him that He include this work in the weight of our good deeds on the Day of Resurrection – a Day on which
neither wealth nor sons will benefit anyone – except for those whom Allah has blessed with pure hearts.

And our final declaration is that all praise and thanks are due to Allah, and we invoke blessings and peace
upon Prophet Muhammad and upon all his righteous family and Companions until the Day of Reckoning.

Yoosuf Al-Hajj Ahmad,

The humble slave of Allah (SWT).

Damascus, Ash-Sham (Syria).

2nd of Dhul-Hijjah, 1428 A.H.

Publisher’s Preface
Verily, all praise and thanks are due to Allah (SWT). We seek His aid and we ask forgiveness of Him. We
seek refuge with Allah (SWT) from the wickedness in ourselves. Whomsoever Allah (SWT) guides, there
is none who can misguide him and whomsoever He sends astray, there is none who can guide him. I bear
witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.
He sent him with guidance and the true Religion and with the light (of truth), the admonition and wisdom,
at a time when no Messengers were sent for a long period, when there was little religious knowledge and
the people had gone astray, when the Hour was drawing nearer. Whoever obeys Allah (SWT) and His
Messenger has followed the right course, while whoever disobeys Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) erred from it and gone far astray. To proceed:

The book Al-Bidayah (The Beginning) by the Hafiz, the Imam, the scholarly critic, Ibn Katheer is an
incomparable work regarding the study of the events and their chronological order, the knowledge of which
he strove hard to acquire. He began by describing the start of creation – from the creation of the Throne and
the Kursi and the heavens and the Earth and all that is in them and all that lies between them, such as the
angels, the jinn and the devils and he described the manner of Adam’s creation (Peace be upon him). He
recounted the stories of the Prophets and the events that took place therein, up to the times of the Children
of Isra’eel and the Days of Ignorance, which ended with the advent of the final Prophet, Muhammad (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him). Then he gave a detailed description of his life and what happened
after that, up to the time in which he, lived. He then wrote a separate volume called An-Nihayah Fil – Fitan
Wal-Malahim (The Ending With Trials and Great Battles).

Furthermore, Allah (SWT) inspired us to undertake the noble task of making this book easily accessible to
both the students and the scholars and then to translate it into several languages, by Allah’s Permission.

I suggested to my brother, Yoosuf Al-Hajj, the necessity of summarizing this book in a suitable manner,
through the omission of unbeneficial repetition, weak ahadeeth, lengthy poems, etc. I am thankful to brother
Yoosuf for assembling a team that consisted of Abdul Malik Wadih, Abu Muslim Al-Jaza’iri, Muwaffeq
Khaleel Hammad, and himself. Darussalam funded the entire project, paying each team member for his
contribution and work. After they completed their portion of the project, the work then went through
numerous people in the Research Division of Darussalam, who meticulously went through the work, adding
7
and subtracting materials. After this, the project went through another round of editing of the Arabic
material before it was sent to the translation department. The translation was then checked for accuracy and
then sent for editing, resulting in the final project that you see before you. All praise and thanks be to Allah
(SWT) for allowing us to produce such a classical work for the first time in the English language.

O Allah! We ask that You bless us with sincerity and success and that You spread goodness through our
hands.

‘Abdul Malik Mujahid

Jumadal-Oola 1431 A.H.

The Biography of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of

Allah be upon him)
And a Report of His Times, His Battles, His Military Campaigns, the Delegations That Came to Him, His
Qualities, His Virtues and His Signs

Chapter on Mention of His Illustrious Lineage and the Nobility of His

Excellent Origins
Allah, Most High, says, “Allah knows best with whom to place His Message" (Soorah Al-An‘am 6:124)
and when Hiraql (Heraclius), the emperor of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan about his characteristics, “What is
his family status amongst you?” Abu Sufyan replied, “He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.”
After asking several more questions, he said, “In fact, all the Messengers come from such families amongst
their respective peoples.” That is, from among the noblest of them and the largest of their tribes – may
Allah’s Blessings be upon them all.

He is the master of the sons of Adam (Peace be upon him) and the most honorable of them in the life of this
world and in the Hereafter: Abul-Qasim and Abu Ibrahim, Muhammad and Ahmad, the Eradicator, through
whom disbelief was eradicated, the final Prophet, after whom there will be no prophet, the Gatherer, who
gathered the people (to follow) in his footsteps, the Follower (of all other Prophets), the
Prophet of Repentance, the Prophet of War, the Seal of the Prophets, the Conqueror, Ta Ha, Ya Seen and
‘Abdullah.

Al-Baihaqi said, “Some of the scholars added that Allah called him a Messenger, a Prophet, Unlettered, a
Witness and Bearer of Glad Tidings, a Warner, a Caller to Allah, by His Permission, a Lamp Spreading
Light, Compassionate and Merciful, a Blessing and a Guide in the Qur’an.”

He is the son of ‘Abdullah, who was the youngest of his father, ‘Abdul-Muttalib’s children and he was the
second sacrifice, who was ransomed for a hundred camels.

Imam Abu Ja‘afar Ibn Jareer – may Allah have mercy on him – spoke at the opening of his Tareekh about
this in great detail and in a clear and beneficial manner. A Hadith has been related in which he claimed
while on the pulpit that he was descended from ‘Adnan. But Allah knows better with regard to its
authenticity. Likewise, Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of Abu Bakr Ibn
‘AbdurRahman Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Hisham, “The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was
informed that some men from Kindah were claiming that they were from him and he was from them. He
said, 'Al-‘Abbas and Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb only used to say that when they came to Al-Madinah, in order
to be given safety there and they were given safety, but we will not deny our forefathers; we are Banu
AnNadr Ibn Al-Kindah.' He said that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) delivered a
sermon in which he said, 'I am Muhammad, son of ‘Abdullah, son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib, son of Hashim, son
of ‘Abd Manaf, son of Qusayy, son of Kilab, son of Murrah, son of Ka‘b, son of Lu'ayy, son of Ghalib, son
of Fihr, son of Malik, son of An-Nadr, son of Kinanah, son of Khuzaimah, son of Mudrikah, son of Ilyas,
8
son of Mudar, son of Nizar. And people do not split into two groups except that Allah has made me in the
best of them. I have been produced from between my two parents and I am not affected by anything from
the iniquity of the Jahiliyyah. I came forth from marriage and I did not come forth from fornication – from
the time of Adam until I was born of my parents – and I am the best of you in soul and the best of you in
lineage'.” This Hadith is very ghareeb, from the Hadith of Malik. Al-Qudami was alone in narrating it and
he is weak. But we shall cite supporting narrations and other sources for it. Among them is the saying of
the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) that "I came forth from marriage, not from
fornication.”

And ‘Abdur-Razzaq narrated on the authority of Abu Ja‘afar Al-Baqir regarding the Words of Allah, Most
High: "Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom
you know well)." (Soorah At-Tawbah 9:128) that it means that he was not affected by anything of the birth
of the Jahiliyyah. He said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “I
came forth from marriage and I did not come forth from fornication.” And this is mursal, jayyid. Al-Baihaqi
also narrated it, on the authority of Ja‘afar Ibn Muhammad, on the authority of his father. He said, “The
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Verily, Allah produced me from
marriage and He did not produce me from fornication.”

And it has been confirmed in Saheeh Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased
with him) that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'I was
sent from the best of generations of the sons of Adam, generation after generation, until the generation in
which I was sent'.”

And in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Wathilah Ibn Al-Asqa‘ that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Verily, Allah chose from Isma‘eel from among the children of
Ibrahim and He chose from among the children of Isma‘eel Banu Kinanah and from among Banu Kinanah
He chose Quraish and from Quraish He chose Banu Hashim and He chose me from Banu Hashim.”

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Al-‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “The
Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was informed about some of the things that the people
were saying and so he ascended the pulpit and said, 'Who am I?' They said, 'You are the Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).' He said, “I am Muhammad, son of ‘Abdullah, son of ‘Abdul-
Muttalib. Verily, Allah created mankind and made me among the best of His creation. And He made them
into two groups and He made me in the best group. He created the tribes and He made me in the best tribe.
He made them families and He made me in the best family. So I am the best of you in family and I am the
best individual among you.' May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him forever, until the Day of
Judgment.”

And it has been confirmed in an authentic Hadith that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) said, “I will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection and (I say this)
without boasting.”

And Al-Hafiz Al-Baihaqi said, “These Ahadeeth – although there may be among their narrators those who
are not reliable – they confirm each other and the meaning of all of them derives from the Hadith of Wathilah
Ibn Al-Asqa‘. And Allah knows best.”

I say: Abu Talib recited these poetic verses, in which he praised the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him),

If Quraish gathered one day in order to boast,

Then ‘Abd Manaf would be their heart and their core,

And if the noblest of ‘Abd Manaf were sought,

It would be found that Hashim were the noblest and oldest,

9
 And if they boasted one day, then Muhammad,

He is the Chosen One from their heart and their nobility,

The lean and the stout among Quraish rallied against us,

But they did not succeed and their dreams came to nought,

Of old, we would not accept injustice,

If they did not turn away from it in contempt,

we would put it right,

And we would guard it (justice) every day against aversion,

And we would turn away from its (injustice’s)

holes those that covet it,

Through us the wilted tree is strengthened,

And only by our protection will it become supple and its roots grow.

Chapter on The Birth of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him)
He – may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him – was born on a Monday, according to the narration of
Muslim in his Saheeh, on the authority of Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him), who reported
that a Bedouin said, “O, Messenger of Allah! What do you say regarding fasting on Mondays?” He said,
“On that day I was born and on it the Revelation (first) came to me.”

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) that he
said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was born on Monday,
Prophethood was conferred on him on Monday, he set out as an emigrant from Makkah to Al-Madinah on
Monday, he arrived in Al-Madinah on Monday, he died on Monday and the Black Stone was raised on
Monday.” Imam Ahmad was alone in narrating this version. Ibn Bukair narrated it on the authority of
Lahee‘ah, with the addition: “Soorah Al-Ma’idah was revealed on Monday: 'This day I have perfected your
Religion for you.'(Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:3) This is how some of them narrated it on the authority of Moosa
Ibn Dawood and they also added: “…and the Battle of Badr took place on Monday.” Among those that said
this was Yazeed Ibn Habeeb, but it is extremely munkar.

Ibn ‘Asakir said, “It is recorded that the Battle of Badr and the revelation of 'This day I have perfected your
Religion for you' (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:3) took place on Friday.” Ibn ‘Asakir is correct in this assertion.

This is how it was narrated from sources other than this, on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (May
Allah be pleased with him), that he was born on Monday; and there is no disagreement regarding the fact
that he was born on Monday. In addition, the majority of scholars are of the opinion that it took place in the
month of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal. It was said that it was on the second day of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal; this was stated
by Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr in Al-Istee‘ab. It was also narrated by Al-Waqidi, on the authority of Abu Ma‘ashar
Najeeh Ibn ‘Abdur-Rahman. It was also said that he was born on the eighth day of Rabee‘ ulAwwal. This
was related by Al-Humaidi, on the authority of Ibn Hazm. It was narrated by Malik, Aqeel, Yoonus Ibn
Yazeed and others, on the authority of Az-Zuhri, who reported on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Jubair
Ibn Mut‘im. Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr transmitted on the authority of the historians that they declared it to be correct.
Al-Hafiz Al-Kabeer Muhammad Ibn Moosa Al-Khuwarizmi stated it as an unequivocal fact. It was given
preponderance by Al-Hafiz Abul-Khattab Ibn Dihyah in his book AtTanweer Fee Mawlid Al-Basheer An-
10
Nadheer. It was also said that he was born on the tenth day of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal. This was transmitted by
Ibn Dihyah in his book and it was narrated by Ibn ‘Asakir on the authority of Abu Ja‘afar Al-Baqir and it
was narrated by Mujalid on the authority of Ash-Sha‘abi, as we have already mentioned. It was already said
that he was born on the twelfth day of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal. This was stated by Ibn Ishaq and it was narrated
by Ibn Abi Shaibah in his book Al-Moosannaf, on the authority of Jabir and Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be
pleased with them), who reported that they said that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) was born in the Year of the Elephant, on Monday, on the twelfth day of the month of Rabee‘
ul-Awwal; on that date he was sent (as a Prophet), on that date he was made to ascend to the heaven, on
that date he emigrated and on that date he died.” This is what is widely accepted by the majority of scholars.
And Allah knows better.

Ibn Ishaq said, “In the year of Al-‘Ukaz, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) was twenty years old.

Ibn Ishaq also said, “Al-Fijar occurred twenty years after the Year of the Elephant. The rebuilding of the
Ka‘bah was fifteen years After Al-Fijar and the start of his Prophethood was five years after the rebuilding
of the Ka‘bah.” Muhammad Ibn Jubair Ibn Mut‘im said, “ ‘Ukaz was fifteen years after the Year of the
Elephant; the rebuilding of the Ka‘bah was ten years after ‘Ukaz and the beginning of his Prophethood was
fifteen years after the rebuilding of the Ka‘bah.” Al-Hafiz Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of ‘Abdul-
‘Azeez Ibn Abi Thabit Al-Madeeni that he said, “I was informed by Az-Zubair Ibn Moosa, who reported
on the authority of Abul-Huwairith that he said, 'I heard ‘Abdul-Malik Ibn Marwan say to Qubath Ibn
Ushaim Al-Kinani, then Al-Laithi, 'O, Qubath! Are you older (in years), or is the Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) older (in years)?' He said, 'The Messenger of Allah is older than I, but
I am older in years than him'.”

A Description of His Noble Birth (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)
‘Abdullah, son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib set out for Ghazzah in Ash-Sham (Syria) with a trade caravan from
Quraish and when they finished their trade, they departed for home, passing by Al-Madinah. On that day,
‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib was ill and he said, “I will remain behind with my maternal uncles in Banu
‘Adiyy Ibn An-Najjar.” So he stayed with them for a month in a state of ill health. His companions returned
to Makkah, where ‘Abdul-Muttalib asked them about his son. They said, “We left him with his maternal
uncles in Banu ‘Adiyy Ibn An-Najjar, for he was sick.” So ‘Abdul-Muttalib sent his eldest son, Al-Harith
to him, but when he arrived in Al-Madinah, he found that he had died and buried in the house of An-
Nabighah. So he returned to his father and informed him of what had happened. When he arrived, he found
‘Abdul-Muttalib in the company of his brothers and sisters and a grandfather. At that time, the Messenger
of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was in his mother’s womb. When ‘Abdullah died, he
was twenty five years old.

Muhammad Ibn Sa‘d said, “Hisham Ibn Muhammad Ibn As-Sa’ib Al-Kalbi informed me on the authority
of his father, who reported on the authority of ‘Awanah Ibn Al-Hakam that they said that ‘Abdullah Ibn
‘Abdul-Muttalib died when the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was twenty-
eight months old and it was also said that he died when he was seven months old. But the first narration,
which stated that his wife was still pregnant when he died, is more reliable."

Az-Zubair Ibn Bakkar narrated on the authority of Ibn Kharraboodh that he said, “ ‘Abdullah died in
AlMadinah, when the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was two months old
and his mother died when he was four years old. His grandfather died when he was eight years old and he
entrusted him to the care of his uncle, Abu Talib.” Al-Waqidi and his scribe, Al-Hafiz Muhammad Ibn Sa‘d
gave preponderance to the view that the father of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) died when he was but a fetus in the womb of his mother – and this is the ultimate in orphanhood
and the highest level of it. We have mentioned previously in the Hadith: “And the vision of my mother, in
which she said that it was as if a light was emitted from her private parts when I was born and this light
illuminated the palaces of Ash-Sham.”

11
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said, “Aminah Bint Wahb, the mother of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him), said that someone came to her when she gave birth to the Messenger of
Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “You have given birth to the master of this
nation, so when he is born into the earth, say, 'I place him under the protection of the One, from the evil of
the envier, from every slave, whether good or evil; a Protector protects me and He is the Praiseworthy, the
Exalted, until I see that he has attained his objective. And the sign of that will be that his birth will be
accompanied by a light which will fill the palaces of Busra, in the land of Ash-Sham. So when he is born,
name him Muhammad, for his name is in the Tawrah: Ahmad – he is praised by the occupants of the heaven
and the occupants of the Earth and his name is in the Injeel: Ahmad – he is praised by the occupants of the
heaven and the occupants of the Earth; and his name is in the Qur’an: Muhammad.' This and that necessitate
that when she was pregnant with him and she saw, as if when he came out of her, the palaces of Ash-Sham
were illuminated for him. Then, when she actually gave birth to him, she saw it with her own eyes, just as
she had seen it in her vision." And Allah knows better.

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said, “When she gave birth to him, she sent word to ‘Abdul-Muttalib via her slave
girl – and his father had already died while she was pregnant. It was also said that ‘Abdullah died when the
Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was twenty-eight months old and Allah knows better
which of them is correct. She said, “A boy has been born for you this night, so come and see him.” So when
he came to her, she informed him about what she had seen when she was carrying him and what had been
said to her about him and she told him that she had been ordered to name him Muhammad. So ‘Abdul-
Muttalib took him to Hubal, which was inside the Ka‘bah, and he stood and supplicated and thanked Allah,
the Almighty, the All-Powerful, saying,

All praise and thanks be to Allah, Who has given me,

This fine, well-proportioned boy,

While still in the cradle, he has become the leader of boys,

I seek refuge for him by the house possessing corners,

Until he has attained manhood,

And until I see him of mature stature,

I seek refuge for him from the one who hates,

From the envier, of deranged mind,

Until I see him raising his voice,

It is you who have been named in the Qur’an,

In confirmed, oft-recited Scriptures,

Ahmad is written on the tongue.

And Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of Al-‘Abbas Ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib (May Allah be pleased with
him) that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was born
circumcised and happy.” He added, “His grandfather, ‘Abdul-Muttalib was amazed by this and saw it as a
good omen." He said, “This child of mine shall certainly have an important position.” And this proved to
be the case.” But there is doubt about the authenticity of this Hadith. Al-Hafiz Ibn ‘Asakir narrated it on the
authority of Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) and he asaid, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Among the virtues bestowed on me by Allah was that I was born
circumcised and no one saw my private parts'.”

12
And Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of Mu‘awiyah Ibn Saleh, who reported on the authority of Abul-
Hakam At-Tanookhi that he said, “Whenever a child was born among Quraish at night, they would send it
to the women of Quraish until the morning and they would invert an earthenware pot over it, so when the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was born, ‘Abdul-Muttalib sent him to the
women of Quraish and they upturned an earthenware pot over him; then in the morning, they came and
found that the pot had cracked into two and they found that his eyes were open and he was staring toward
the heaven. Then ‘Abdul Mittalib came to them and they confided to him, 'We have never seen a newborn
like him; we found the earthenware pot had cracked into two over him and we found his eyes open and he
was staring at the heaven.' He said, 'Take care of him, for I hope that he will have an important position or
that he will attain goodness.' Then on the seventh day, an animal was sacrificed for him and he invited
Quraish to eat. When they had eaten, they said, 'O, ‘Abdullah! Have you named this son of yours in honor
of whom you have invited us?' He replied, 'I have named him Muhammad.' They asked, 'What caused you
to favor that name over the names of his family members?' He said, 'I wanted Allah to praise him in the
heaven and His creation to praise him on the Earth'.” The scholars of language said that everything in which
all good qualities are combined is called Muhammad, as one of them said,

Toward you – who reject malediction – I directed my she-camel,

The illustrious, the noble master, the Muhammad (i.e. the praised).

One of the scholars said, “Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful inspired them to call him Muhammad,
because of the praiseworthy characteristics he possessed, so that the name and the deed should agree with
each other and so that the name and the person named should correspond in form and in meaning, as his
uncle, Abu Talib said,

His name was thus derived in order to honor him,

For the Owner of the Throne is Mahmood and he is Muhammad.

Chapter Pertaining to the Signs on the Night of His

Birth
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said, “on the authority of Hassan Ibn Thabit that he said, 'I was a young boy of seven
or eight years and I understood what I saw and heard. Early one morning, I heard a Jewish man in Yathrib
calling out, O, assembly of Jews! So they gathered to him and I was listening. They said to him, 'Woe to
you! What is wrong with you?' He said, 'The star of Ahmad, who has been born this night, has risen.' And
Al-Hafiz Abu Nu‘aim narrated in his book, Dala`il An-Nubuwwah, on the authority of Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah
Al-‘Amiri, who reported on the authority of Sulaiman Ibn Saheem and Rubaih Ibn ‘Abdur-Rahman, both
of whom reported on the authority of ‘Abdur-Rahman Ibn Abi Sa‘eed, who in turn reported on the authority
of his father that he said, 'I heard Abu Malik Ibn Sinan saying, 'I went to Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal one day to
speak with them – and at that time we were at peace with them – and I heard Yoosha’ (Joshuah), the Jew,
say, 'A Prophet, whose name is Ahmad, is about to depart; he will depart from the Sacred Precincts (i.e.
Makkah).' Khaleefah Ibn Tha‘labah Al-Ashhali said to him in tones of mockery, 'What is his description?'
He said, 'He is a man who is neither short nor tall. In his eyes there is redness and he wears a turban and
rides a donkey. His sword is on his shoulder and he will migrate to this city.' Abu Malik said, 'So I returned
to my people, Banu Khudrah and I was full of admiration for what Yoosha‘ had said at that time and I heard
a man from among us asking, 'Is Yoosha‘ alone in saying this?' But they replied, 'No, all of the Jews of
Yathrib are saying it.' Abu Malik Ibn Sinan said, 'So I set out and went to Banu Quraizah and I found an
assembly who were discussing the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). Az-Zubair Ibn Bata
said, 'The red star has risen, a star which does not rise except for the departure or the appearance of a Prophet
– and none remains except Ahmad, and this is the place to which he will emigrate.' Abu Sa‘eed said, 'So
when the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) arrived, my father imparted this news to him
and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'If Az-Zubair embraced Islam,
his kinsman from the chiefs of the Jews would follow him'.”
13
Abu Nu‘aim narrated on the authority of Zaid Ibn Thabit that he said, “The Jewish rabbis of Banu Quraizah
and An-Nadeer used to speak about the description of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) and when the red star rose, they said that he was a Prophet and that no prophet would come after him,
that his name was Ahmad and that he would emigrate to Yathrib. Then, when the Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) arrived in Al-Madinah, they rejected him, were envious of him and
disbelieved in him." This story was transmitted by Al-Hafiz Abu Nu‘aim in his book, from other sources,
all praise and thanks be to Allah (SWT).

14
 His Nursemaids and Wet Nurses
Umm Aiman, whose name was Barakah was his nursemaid and the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) had inherited her from his father. When he grew up, he manumitted her and married her to
his freed slave, Zaid Ibn Harithah and she bore him Usamah Ibn Zaid (may Allah be pleased with them all).
The freed slave of his uncle, Abu Lahab, whose name was Thuwaibah, breastfed him, with his mother
before Haleemah As-Sa‘diyyah.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated in their Saheehain, on the authority of Umm Habeebah Bint Abi Sufyan
(may Allah be pleased with her) that she said, “O, Messenger of Allah! Marry my sister, the daughter of
Abu Sufyan.” The Prophet said, “would you like that?” She replied, “yes, for even now I am not your only
wife and I would like that my sister should share the good with me.” The Prophet said, “but that is not
lawful for me.” She said, “we have heard that you want to marry the daughter of Abu Salamah (or in another
narration: Durrah, the daughter of Abu Salamah).” He said, “(do you mean) the daughter of Umm
Salamah?” She said, “yes.” He said, “even if she were not my stepdaughter, she would be unlawful for me
to marry as she is my foster niece. I and Abu Salamah were suckled by Thuwaibah. So you should not
present your daughters or your sisters (in marriage) to me.” Urwah added, “Thuwaibah was the freed slave
girl of Abu Lahab whom he had manumitted, and then she suckled the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him). When Abu Lahab died, one of his relatives saw him in a dream in a very bad state and
asked him, “What have you encountered?” Abu Lahab said, “I have not found any good since I left you,
except that I have been given water to drink in this (the space between his thumb and other fingers) and that
is because of my manumitting Thuwaibah.”

Wet-Nursing of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) by

Haleemah Bint Abi Dhu’aib As-Sa‘diyyah
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Talib that he said, “It was
related regarding Haleemah Bint Al-Harith that she said, 'I came to Makkah with a group of women'..." and
Al-Waqidi cited with his isnad that they were ten in number and that they were from Banu Sa‘d Ibn Bakr
who had come looking for children to wet-nurse during a year of drought. She added, “I arrived on a white
donkey belonging to me. I had our baby with me and an old she-camel, which I swear by Allah (SWT) did
not give us even a drop of milk. We did not get even a moment of sleep that night because my hungry baby
was crying and there was no milk to be had from my breast or from the shecamel with which to feed him.
When we reached Makkah, we looked for children to suckle and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) was offered to every woman among us, but they all refused him saying
that he was an orphan. That was because we hoped for a good reward from the child’s father. We said, 'An
orphan! And what can his mother do?' We disliked to take him because of that. Every woman who came
with me found a child to suckle but I. Before we departed, I said to my husband, 'By Allah, I hate to return
among my friends without a baby to suckle. I will go and take that orphan.' He said, 'There is no harm for
you if you do. Perhaps Allah will bless us through this orphan.' So I went and took him because there was
no other alternative. On my way back, as soon as I put him in my lap, my breasts overflowed with milk,
which he drank until he was satisfied and so did his foster brother. Then both of them slept, while before
this, we had not been able to sleep because of my son’s crying. My husband went to the old she-camel to
milk it and to his surprise, its udders were full. He milked it and we both drank the milk until we were
completely satisfied; and thereafter, we spent a good night. In the morning, my husband said, 'By Allah,
Haleemah, you have taken a blessed child. Have you not observed the goodness and blessings that we have
enjoyed since you took him last night?' And Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful continued to bestow
blessings on us. I carried him with me, as we rode back on my jenny (female donkey) and it went at such a
speed that the other donkeys could not keep up with it, so that my fellow travelers said to me, 'Woe to you,
O, daughter of Abu Dhu’aib! Is this the same jenny that you rode when you set out with us?' I said, 'Yes,
by Allah, it is the very same.' They said, 'By Allah, there is certainly something unusual about it!' At last
we reached the land of Banu Sa‘d and I do not know of any land more parched and drought-stricken than
that land. But in spite of this, my sheep would graze and return with udders filled with milk and we would
take as much as we wanted, while the sheep of all those around us did not give a single drop of milk. Their

15
sheep became so hungry that their owners would say to their shepherds, 'Woe to you! See where the sheep
of the daughter of Abu Dhu’aib are grazing and let your sheep graze with them.' So they would put them to
graze where my sheep were grazing, but their sheep would return hungry and without a drop of milk in their
udders. My sheep, on the other hand, would return with udders full of milk and we would take what we
wished. Allah continued to bestow this blessing on us, which we gratefully acknowledged, until Muhammad
reached two years of age, at which time, he was growing at a rate that exceeded that of the other children.
By Allah, by the time he had attained the age of two years, he was a sturdy child. So we took him to his
mother, though we were keen to keep him with us because of the blessings we had enjoyed as a result of
having him. When his mother saw him, I said to her, 'Let us return with our boy next year, for we fear that
he may be affected by the infectious disease that is present in Makkah.' By Allah, we continued to press her
until she said, 'Yes, ‘ and she let him go with us. He remained with us for two or three months after that.
Then one day, while he was outside, behind our dwellings with a foster brother of his, playing with our
lambs, that foster brother came running to us and said, 'Two men wearing white garments came to my
Quraishi brother and they laid him down and cut open his belly!' My husband and I went out and raced over
to him and we found him standing, his face pale. My husband embraced him and said, 'O, my son! What
happened to you?' He said, 'Two men wearing white garments came to me and they laid me down and
opened up my belly. Then one of them took something out of it and they cast it aside. Then they returned it
(my belly) to its former state.' So we took him back to the house with us. My husband said, 'O, Haleemah!
I fear that something might have befallen our son, so let us take him back to his family before something
that we fear appears in him.' Haleemah said, 'So we carried him to his mother and when we arrived, she
said, what has caused you to return him, when you were earlier insisting that he remain with you? We said,
'No, by Allah; it is only because Allah has allowed him to reach this age and we have fulfilled our duty. We
were afraid that some harm may befall him and so we have brought him back to you as you requested.' She
felt that this was not the case and so she insisted to know the truth until I told her what had happened. Then
she said, 'Do you fear that he has been possessed by Satan? Nay! By Allah, Satan has no way to control
him, for he has a great future in store for him. Shall I not inform you about him?' We said, 'Certainly! I bore
him and by Allah, I have not born a lighter load than him. I saw in a dream when I was carrying him that it
was as if when I delivered him, a light was emitted from me which illuminated the palaces of Ash-Sham.
Then it happened thus when I gave birth to him and he supported himself on his hands and raised his head
to the heaven. So leave him'.” This Hadith has been narrated from other sources and it is well-known and
widely circulated among the scholars of military campaigns and battles.

Ibn Ishaq said, “I was informed by Thawr Ibn Yazeed, who reported on the authority of Khalid Ibn Ma‘dan,
who in turn reported on the authority of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) that they said to him, 'Inform us about yourself.' He said, 'Yes: I am the supplication
of my father, Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) and the glad tidings of ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him); and my
mother saw in a vision when she was carrying me that a light was emitted from her which illuminated the
palaces of Ash-Sham. I was breastfed among Banu Sa‘d Ibn Bakr and while I was playing with their lambs,
two men wearing white garments came to me and they had a golden bowl with them which was filled with
ice. They laid me down and they opened up my belly, then they removed my heart and they cut it open and
removed a black clot from it and threw it away. Then they washed my heart and my belly with that ice and
when they purified it, they put it back in its place as it had been before. Then one of them said to the other,
'Weigh him against ten of his nation, ‘ so he did and I outweighed them. Then he said, 'Weigh him against
a hundred of his nation, ‘ so he did and I outweighed them. Then he said, 'Weigh him against a thousand of
his nation, ‘ so he did and I outweighed them. Then he said, 'Leave him, for if you were to weigh him
against the whole of his nation, he would outweigh them'.” The isnad of this Hadith is good, strong.

And it has been confirmed in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased
with him) that Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) while he was playing with the other boys and he took him and lay him down on the ground,
cut open his breast and took the heart out from it. Then he extracted a clot from it and said: “That was the
part of Satan in you.” Then he washed it with the water of Zamzam in a golden basin and then it was joined
together and restored to its place. The boys came running to his mother, (i.e. his nurse) and said, “Verily,
Muhammad has been murdered. They all rushed toward him (and found him all right) though his color was
changed.” Anas said, “I, myself saw the marks of the needle on his chest.”
16
Ibn Ishaq said, “‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Hazm informed me that the mother
of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), Aminah, died when he was six years
old at Al-Abwa’, which lies between Makkah and Al-Madinah. She had taken him to AlMadinah to visit
his uncles from Banu ‘Adiyy Ibn An-Najjar, but she died on the way back to Makkah.”

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Buraidah that he said, “We set out with the Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and journeyed until we reached Waddan. At this point, the
Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Remain in your places until I come to you.' Then
he came to us with a troubled expression and said, 'I went to the grave of Umm Muhammad (i.e. his mother)
and I asked my Lord to let me intercede for her. But He refused me. Previously, I had forbidden you to visit
the graves, now you may visit them. I had also forbidden you to eat the meat of sacrificial animals after
three days, now you may eat it and keep it with you as long as you see fit. And I forbade you to drink from
these vessels, now drink as you see fit'.”

Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “The
Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) visited the grave of his mother and he wept, causing
those around him to weep. Then he said, 'I sought permission from my Lord to visit the grave of my mother
and He permitted me. Then I sought permission from Him to ask forgiveness for her, but He did not permit
me. So visit the graves, for it will remind you of death'.”

What is meant is that ‘Abdul-Muttalib died while still an adherent to the religion of the Jahiliyyah; this view
is in contrast to the claim of the Shiites regarding him and his son, Abu Talib, as we shall see when we
discuss the death of Abu Talib. Al-Baihaqi said, after narrating these Ahadeeth in his book: Dala’il An-
Nubuwwah, “And how could the parents of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and
his grandfather not be as described in these Ahadeeth in the Hereafter, when they used to worship idols
until they died and they did not follow the religion of ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him)? But their disbelief does
not diminish his lineage, because the marriages of the disbelievers are valid: Do you not see that when they
embrace Islam, they are not required to renew their marriage contract or to split up?”

I say: The information that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has conveyed to us
regarding his parents and his grandfather, ‘Abdul-Muttalib, i.e. that they are among the inhabitants of the
Fire, does not contradict the Hadith which is related from him via numerous sources, which states that the
People of the Fatrah, children, the insane and the deaf will not be put to trial on the Day of Resurrection, as
we have explained in detail in our explanation of the Words of Allah, Most High: "And We never punish…"
(Soorah Al-Isra 17:15). Among them are those who respond positively and among them are those who do
not; and these people are among those who do not respond, so there is no contradiction. All praise and
thanks be to Allah (SWT), from Whom proceeds all grace. As for the Hadith cited by AsSuhaili – which he
said contains in its chain of narrators two unknown persons up to Ibn Abi Az-Zinad, who reported on the
authority of ‘Urwah, who in turn reported on the authority of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be Pleased with her) –
in which it was stated that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) asked his
Lord to return his parents to life and that He did so, after which they both believed in him, it is totally
munkar, even though it is possible for Allah, the Omnipotent to do so, it contradicts what has been reported
in the Saheeh. And Allah knows better.

Ibn Ishaq said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was with his
grandfather, ‘Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Hashim, i.e. after the death of his mother, Aminah Bint Wahb. A mattress
used to be placed for ‘Abdul-Muttalib in the shade of the Ka‘bah and his sons would sit around that mattress
until he came out to it and out of respect for him, none of them would venture to sit on it.” He said, “Yet
the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) would come – though he was but a
young boy – and his uncles would hold him in order to restrain him from going on it, but if ‘Abdul-Muttalib
saw them doing that, he would say, 'Leave my son, for by Allah, he has a great future before him.' Then he
would make him sit beside him on his mattress and he would stroke his back with his hand and it used to
please him to see what the young boy did. He said to Umm Aiman, who was the child’s nurse, 'O, Barakah!
Do not neglect my son, for I have found him with other boys near to AsSidrah and the People of the Scripture

17
claim that my son is the Prophet of this nation.' And whenever ‘Abdul-Muttalib ate, he would say, 'I must
have my son!' Then he would be brought to him."

Regarding His Journey With His Uncle, Abu Talib to Ash-Sham and What
Happened With Baheera, the Monk
Ibn Ishaq said, “Then Abu Talib set out with a trading caravan to Ash-Sham and when he was preparing to
depart, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) attached himself closely to him,
according to what has been claimed, and this touched Abu Talib’s heart and he said, 'By Allah, I will
certainly take him with me and I will never be parted from him, nor will he ever be parted from me!' Or he
said words similar to these. Then, when the caravan camped at Busra, in the land of Ash-Sham, they found
there a monk, whose name was Baheera, who was staying in his hermitage. He was well-versed in
Christianity. It was claimed that this monk had always lived in that hermitage, where he gained his
knowledge from a book which had been handed down from generation to generation. That year, when they
stayed near Baheera, he prepared for them a great feast, unlike most years, when they passed by him and
he would not speak to them or pay any attention to them. Then he sent a message to them, saying, 'I have
prepared food for you, O, assembly of Quraish and I would like all of you to attend, including the old and
the young, the slaves and the freemen.' Due to his tender years, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) stayed behind under a tree, to take care of his people’s baggage. When Baheera saw
them, he did not see the sign that he knew about and he said, 'O, assembly of Quraish! Let none of you fail
to partake of my food.' They said, 'O, Baheera! No one who should come to you has stayed behind, except
a boy, who is the youngest of us, and who has remained behind to take care of our baggage.' He said, 'Do
not do that. Invite him and let him partake of the food with you.' Then, when the people finished eating their
food and dispersed, Baheera came over to him and said to him, 'O, Boy! I ask you by Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza
to answer what I am going to ask you.' Baheera only said this to him because he had heard Quraish swearing
by them. It is claimed that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him,
'Do not ask me anything by Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza, for by Allah, I have never despised anything as much as
I despise these two.' Baheera said to him, 'Then by Allah, will you answer me anything that I ask you?' He
said, 'Ask me whatever you like.' So he began to ask him about things pertaining to his situation, including
his sleep, his appearance and affairs in general. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) answered him and his answers agreed with the information that Baheera had regarding his
description. Then he looked at his back and he saw the seal of Prophethood between his shoulders, in the
place which was in accordance with the description found in his book. When he finished, he went over to
his uncle, Abu Talib and he said, 'what is this boy to you?' Abu Talib replied, 'he is my son.' Baheera replied,
'he is not your son.' Abu Talib said, 'then he is my brother’s son.' Baheera asked, 'and what happened to his
father?' He replied, 'his father died while his mother was pregnant with him.' Baheera said, 'you have spoken
the truth. Return with this nephew of yours to his land and protect him against the Jews, for by Allah, if
they see him and recognize in him what I have recognized, they will contrive evil against him, for this
nephew of yours has a great future in store for him. So hasten with him to his land.' So as soon as he finished
his trading business, he departed with him in haste and returned him to Makkah.”

Regarding His Upbringing and Allah’s Sufficiency for Him, His Protection of
Him
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) grew up
into a young man and Allah provided food for him and protected him from the evils of the Jahiliyyah in
order to preserve his honor and his status as a Messenger. This continued until he became a man and he was
the best of his people in manly virtues and good conduct, the noblest of them in lineage, the best of them in
neighborliness, the greatest of them in forbearance and gentleness, the most truthful of them in speech, the
most trustworthy of them, the remotest of them from indecency and such behavior as defiles men and causes
them to lose their decency and honor. Such was his reputation among his people that even they referred to
him as Al-Ameen, because of the righteous attributes that Allah had combined in him. According to what I
have been told, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) spoke of how Allah
used to preserve him during his childhood and the period of his ignorance and he said, 'You might have
18
seen me among boys from Quraish moving stones in order to make a play area. All of us had exposed our
private parts by taking our lower garments and placing them on our shoulders, so that we could carry the
stones on them. I was going back and forth with them when I felt a painful slap on my face from someone
I could not see. Then the unknown person said, 'pull your lower garment around you.' So I took it and pulled
it around me, then I began to carry the stones on my shoulder with my companions while wearing my lower
garment'.” This story resembles that which is found in the Saheeh regarding the rebuilding of the Ka‘bah.
If this is not the same story, then it precedes it, like a preparation for it. And Allah knows better.

Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “I
heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, 'I only took an interest in
the affairs which preoccupied the people of the Jahiliyyah twice and on both occasions Allah, the Almighty,
the All-Powerful protected me: One night, while a young Makkan man and I were guarding some sheep
belong to the people of Makkah, I said to him, look after my sheep for me so that I may go down to Makkah
and socialize there as the young men do. He said, Certainly. So I went down to Makkah and approached the
first house I came to; from inside I heard the sound of musical instruments playing and I asked, What is
this? They said, so-and-so and so-and-so have got married. So I sat and watched, but Allah struck me on
my ear and by Allah, nothing awakened me until I felt the sun on my face. Then I returned to my companion
and he asked, What did you do? I said, I did not do anything. Then I informed him of what I had seen. Then
on another night, I said to him, Look after my sheep for me so that I may go and socialize. He agreed and I
went down to Makkah. When I arrived there, I heard music such as I had heard on the previous occasion
and I asked what was happening and was told, It is the marriage of so-andso and so-and-so. So I sat and
watched, but Allah struck me on my ear and by Allah, and by Allah, nothing awakened me until I felt the
sun on my face. Then I returned to my companion and he asked me, What did you do? I replied, Nothing.
Then I informed him of what had occurred and by Allah, I took no interest and did not repeat anything of
that until Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful honored me with Prophethood.” This Hadith is extremely
ghareeb. It could be from ‘Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) himself and the words: “…until Allah, the
Almighty, the All-Powerful honored me with Prophethood…” could be an interpolation. And Allah (SWT)
knows better.

The Part Played By the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be

upon him) in the Sacrilegious War
Ibn Hisham said, “When the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) reached
fourteen or fifteen years of age, according to what I was told by Abu ‘Ubaidah An-Nahwi, who reported on
the authority of Abu ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Ala`, the Sacrilegious War sprang up between Quraish and their
supporters from Kinanah, and Qais ‘Ailan. The cause of it was that ‘Urwah Ar-Rahhal Ibn ‘Utbah Ibn
Ja‘afar Ibn Kilab Ibn Rabee‘ah Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Sa‘sa‘ah Ibn Mu‘awiyah Ibn Bakr Ibn Hawazin granted
protection to some trade goods belonging to An-Nu‘man Ibn Al-Mundhir. Al-Barrad Ibn Qais, who
belonged to Banu Damrah Ibn Bakr Ibn ‘Abd Manat Ibn Kinanah, said, 'Do you protect them against
Kinanah?' ‘Urwah replied, 'Yes, and against all mankind.' So ‘Urwah set out with the caravan and AlBarrad
also set out, hoping to catch him unawares. He followed the caravan until it reached Taiman Dhee Zillal, at
Al-‘Aliyah and catching ‘Urwah unawares, he attacked him and killed him in a sacred month. For this
reason, the war became known as the Sacrilegious War. Al-Barrad said regarding it (Al-BahrulWafir),

I raised my hand to him at Dhee Zilal,

And he fell down and lay stunned,

Like a felled tree.

19
The Part Played By the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in
the Treaty of Al-Fudool (Virtuous)
Al-Hafiz Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of Jubair Ibn Mut‘im (May Allah be pleased with him) that
he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'I took part with my
paternal uncles in the treaty of the Scented Ones, so I do not like to violate it (or he used a similar word),
even if I was given the best of red camels'.”

I say: There is no doubt of this; this refers to the treaty signed by Quraish after the death of Qusayy. They
disagreed with regard to Qusayy’s appointment of his son, ‘Abdud-Dar as the person responsible for
AsSiqayah, Ar-Rifadah, Al-Liwa', An-Nadwah and Al-Hijabah. They were opposed in it by Banu ‘Abd
Manaf and each side was supported by tribes from Quraish. They agreed on the conditions of the treaty and
the members of Banu ‘Abd Manaf brought a bowl of perfume and they placed their hands in it and swore
to abide by the treaty. Then, when they stood up, they wiped their hands on the corners of the House of
Allah. For this reason, they were known as Al-Mutayyaboon (the Perfumed Ones), as we mentioned
previously. This took place in earlier times, but what is meant by this treaty is the Treaty of Al-Fudool
which was signed in the house of ‘Abdullah Ibn Jud‘an, according to what was narrated by AlHumaidi,
who reported on the authority of Sufyan Ibn ‘Uyainah, who in return reported on the authority of
Muhammad and ‘Abdur-Rahman, the sons of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) that they said
“The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'I witnessed a treaty in the house
of ‘Abdullah Ibn Jud‘an, and if I was invited to take part in it in Islam, I would accept it.' They agreed to
respect the principles of justice and to collectively intervene in cases of injustice. They said that the Treaty
of Al-Fudool was twenty years before the beginning of his Prophethood, in the month of DhulQa‘dah,
approximately four months after the Sacrilegious War."

Az-Zubair Ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib said regarding this (Al-Bahr ul-Wafir),

I swore to uphold a treaty on them,

And if we were all the people of a house,

We called it Al-Fudool when we resolved,

To respect strangers who had protection,

And those around the House know that,

We oppose injustice and reject dishonor.

And Az-Zubair also said (Al-Bahr ul-Kamil),

Verily, the virtuous made an agreement and swore an oath,

That no wrongdoer should find an abode inside Makkah,

A matter upon which they agreed and resolved,

So that the protégé and the wretched might be safe.

20
 Marriage of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him)to Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid Ibn Asad Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Uzza Ibn
Qusayy
Ibn Ishaq said, “Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid was an honorable and wealthy businesswoman, who used to
conduct her business through men contracted to act on her behalf. When she was informed about the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and his truthfulness, honesty and nobility
of character, she sent a message to him offering him a position as her agent on a business trip to AshSham
and she offered to pay him a better remuneration than she paid to any other trader. He was to be accompanied
by a slave belonging to her, whose name was Maisarah. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) accepted this from her and he set out with her goods. Her slave, Maisarah, accompanied
him and they traveled until they reached Ash-Sham. There the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) stopped beneath the shade of a tree, near to the hermitage of a monk. The monk came
out to Maisarah and said, 'Who is this man who has stopped beneath the tree?' Maisarah replied, 'This is a
man from Quraish, from among the people of the Sacred Precincts.' The monk said to him, 'No one has
stopped beneath this tree except a Prophet.' Then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) sold his goods (i.e. the things that he had brought to trade) and he bought what he wanted to buy.
Then he set out on the return journey to Makkah, accompanied by Maisarah. It is claimed that when it was
midday and the heat of the sun was fierce, Maisarah saw two angels shading him from the sun while he was
proceeding on his camel. When he arrived in Makkah, he went to Khadeejah with the goods he had
purchased, she sold them and found that her profits were almost double what they normally were. Maisarah
informed her of what the monk had said and of how he had seen two angels shading him. Khadeejah was a
resolute, noble and intelligent woman, in addition to the generosity with which Allah had favored her. So
when Maisarah conveyed this information to her, she sent a message to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him), in which it is claimed she said, 'O, my cousin! I have conceived a liking
for you because of your kinship, the high reputation you hold among your people, your honesty, your good
character and your truthfulness.' Then she offered herself as a wife to him. She was the best of the Quraishi
women in lineage, the greatest of them in nobility and the wealthiest of them. All of her people were keen
to seek a marriage with her if it were possible. So when she said this to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him), he informed his uncles about it and then Hamzah, one of his uncles, went
with him to Khuwailid Ibn Asad and proposed marriage to her, after which the Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) married her."

Ibn Ishaq said, “Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid mentioned to Waraqah Ibn Nawfal Ibn Asad Ibn ‘Abdul‘Uzza
Ibn Qusayy – who was her paternal cousin – what the monk had said to Maisarah and how he had seen the
angels shading him. He was a Christian who studied the Scriptures and possessed much of the knowledge
of mankind. On hearing this, he said, 'O, Khadeejah! if this is true, then Muhammad is certainly the Prophet
of this nation. I knew that a Prophet was expected to come to this nation and this is his time.' Waraqah felt
impatient after that and he used to say, 'Until when'?” Regarding this, he said (AlBahrul-Wafir),

I persisted in remembrance of Allah,

Waiting for Him to send the Prophet,

Based upon Khadeejah’s description,

O, Khadeejah! Long have I waited,

In the center of the two Makkahs in hope,

Based on your words, that I might see him emerge,

According to what you have related from a cleric,

Among the monks; I hate to think he might have erred,

21
 When he said that Muhammad will lead his people,

And will defeat those who oppose him,

And the light of truth will shine through the lands,

Causing the people to rise up like a wave,

And those who fight him will meet with loss,

While those who make peace with him,

Will find irrigated date groves,

So I hope that when this comes to pass,

I may witness it and I will be the first to enter.

Quraish’s Rebuilding of the Ka‘bah Five Years Before the Start of His
Prophetic Mission
Allah, Most High, says, "Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah
(Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-‘Alameen (mankind and the jinn). In it are manifest signs
(for example), the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim; whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage
to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses
(for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves (i.e. denies Hajj, then he is a
disbeliever in Allah), then Allah stands not in need of any of the Al-‘Alameen." (Soorah Aal ‘Imran
3:96,97). And it has been confirmed in the Saheehain on the authority of Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased
with him) that he said, “I said, O, Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?” He replied, “The
Sacred Mosque (in Makkah).” I asked, “Then which one?” He replied, “Al-Aqsa Mosque.” I then asked
him, “How many years passed between the construction of the former and the latter?” He said, “Forty
years.” We have discussed this previously and we said that Al-Aqsa Mosque was established by Isra’eel,
i.e. Ya‘qoob (Peace be upon him). It is also narrated in the Saheehain: “Verily, this city was made a
sanctuary by Allah on the day He created the heavens and the Earth, and it is a sanctuary by His Decree
until the Day of Resurrection.”

And Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘As (May Allah be pleased with
him) that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Allah sent
Jibraeel to Adam and Eve to say to them, Build a House for Allah. Jibraeel laid the designs for them. Then
Adam began to dig, while Eve removed the soil, until he struck water. At this point, he was called from
beneath, Adam! That is enough! After completing the construction, Adam was directed by Allah, Most
High, to circumambulate the House (the Ka‘bah). It was said to him, 'You are the first man (to be created),
and this is the first House to be built.' Several centuries passed until Nooh made pilgrimage to it, then more
centuries passed until Ibrahim laid the foundations.” Al-Baihaqi said, “Ibn Lahee‘ah was alone in narrating
it in this way, in a marfoo‘ form.”

I say: It is weak; and it is more correct and safer to say that it is mawqoof at ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (May
Allah be pleased with him). And Allah knows better.

A man asked ‘Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) regarding the Saying of Allah: "Verily, the first House
(of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), in which blessing and guidance for Al-
‘Alameen were placed" (Soorah Aal ‘Imran 3:96), “Was it the first House built on the Earth?” ‘Ali replied,
“No, but it was the first House in which blessing and guidance were placed for mankind, along with Maqam-
e-Ibrahim and whoever enters it is safe. And if you wish, I will inform you how it was built: Verily, Allah,
Most High, revealed to Ibrahim (Peace be upon him): “Build Me a House on the Earth.” But he was unable

22
to accomplish it and so Allah sent As-Sakeenah – which is a twisting wind with a head – and each of them
followed the other until it finished. Then it encircled the location of the House, as a serpent does and Ibrahim
(Peace be upon him) built until he reached the place of the stone and he said to his son, “Find me a stone.”
So he searched for a stone and he found one and returned with it. But when he returned, he found that the
Black Stone had already been put into place and so he said to his father, “From where did you get this?” He
replied, “The one who does not rely on your building brought it: It was brought by Jibraeel from the heaven
and he completed it.” Then time passed and it fell into disrepair and it was repaired by the Amalekites. Then
it fell into disrepair again and it was rebuilt by Jurhum. Then it fell into disrepair a third time and it was
rebuilt by Quraish and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), who at that
time was a young man. When they wanted to raise the Black Stone, they disagreed regarding who should
have the honor of doing it, so they said, “We will appoint as an arbiter the first man to emerge from this
gate.” It happened that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was the first
person to emerge from the gate and so he arbitrated between them, saying that they should place the Stone
on a mantle, then all of the tribes might raise it up.”

Sa‘eed Ibn Yahya Al-Umawi said, “Al-Mu‘ammar Ibn Sulaiman Ar-Raqqi told us, on the authority of
‘Abdullah Ibn Bishr from Az-Zuhri (who attributed the Hadith to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him)), that he said, “Three stone tablets were found in the Maqam (of Ibrahim). On the first tablet
it was written: “Verily, I am Allah, the Owner of Bakkah (Makkah). I made it on the day I made the sun
and the moon and I surrounded it with seven pure estates; and I blessed its inhabitants in their meat and
their milk.” On the second tablet it said, “Verily, I am Allah, the Owner of Bakkah (Makkah). I created ar-
rahim and I derived it from My Name (i.e. Ar-Rahman). So whoever maintains ties of kinship, I will
maintain ties with him and whoever cuts them, I will send him away.” On the third tablet, it said, “Verily,
I am Allah, the Owner of Bakkah (Makkah). I created goodness and evil and I ordained them. So blessed is
the one in whose hands I place goodness and woe to the one in whose hands I place evil.”

And it has been confirmed in the Saheehain on the authority of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be Pleased with her)
that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to her, “Do you know that
when your people (Quraish) rebuilt the Ka‘bah, they decreased it from its original foundation laid by
Ibrahim?” I said, “O, Messenger of Allah! Why do you not rebuild it on its original foundation laid by
Ibrahim?” He replied, “Were it not for the fact that your people are close to the Jahiliyyah (i.e. they have
recently become Muslims) I would have done so.” The sub-narrator, ‘Abdullah (Ibn ‘Umar) (May Allah be
pleased with him) stated: ‘A’ishah must have heard this from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him), for in my opinion, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) had not placed his hand over the two corners of the Ka‘bah opposite Al-Hijr only because the Ka‘bah
was not rebuilt on its original foundations laid by Ibrahim (Peace be upon him).” For this reason, when Az-
Zubair was able to rebuild it, he did so in accordance with the description mentioned by the Messenger of
Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and it appeared in best, most beautiful and perfect form,
on the foundations of Al-Khaleel, with two doors at floor level, at the eastern and the western ends; the
people would enter from one end and exit from the other. After AlHajjaj had killed Ibn Az-Zubair, he wrote
a letter to ‘Abdul-Malik Ibn Marwan – who was the Caliph at that time – informing him of what Ibn Az-
Zubair had done, they thought that he had done it of his own accord and so he ordered that it be returned to
its former appearance, so they turned their attention to Shami wall and they broke it down and removed the
Stone from it, then they compressed its stones on the floor of the Ka‘bah, which caused the level of its door
to be raised, then they blocked off the western door, while the eastern door continued as it was. Then during
the era of Al-Mahdi, or that of his son, he consulted Malik regarding the possibility of returning the Ka‘bah
to the way Az-Zubair had made it. Malik – may Allah have mercy on him – said, “I fear that kings will
make it into a game.” So he left it as it was and it remains thus to this day.

As for the Sacred Mosque, the first person to move back the houses from the vicinity of the Ka‘bah was
‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him). He purchased them from their owners and
demolished them. Then, when ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) became Caliph, he
extended the area of the Mosque by purchasing more houses. When Ibn Az-Zubair was Governor, he
improved its construction and increased the number of its doors, but he did not increase it in any other way.
When ‘Abdul-Malik Ibn Marwan sought advice in the matter, he increased the height of its walls and he
23
ordered that the Ka‘bah be covered with silk brocade. The person who was entrusted with this task was Al-
Hajjaj Ibn Yoosuf and we have mentioned already the story of the building of the House and the Ahadeeth
pertaining to that in the explanation of Allah’s Saying in Soorah Al-Baqarah: [ And (remember) when
Ibrahim and (his son) Isma‘eel were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) ] (Soorah
Al-Baqarah 2:127)

Ibn Ishaq said, “When they had finished rebuilding the Ka‘bah and built it as they wished, Az-Zubair Ibn
‘Abdul-Muttalib said, regarding the matter of the snake which caused Quraish to fear rebuilding the Ka‘bah,

I was amazed to see the eagle swoop down,

On the snake, and it was confused,

And it had used to recoil and sometimes pounce,

When we tried to repair the foundations, it attacked,

And made us afraid to rebuild and we were in dread,

And when we feared that we would be prevented,

The eagle came rushing and it attacked,

And seized it, allowing us to build without hindrance,

So we began to concentrate on our building,

Like digging the foundations and shifting the dirt,

In the morning, we raised the foundations of it,

And we were without garments on our flesh,

The Owner thereby honored Banu Lu’ayy,

And none of them left its foundations,

And Banu ‘Adiyy had gathered there,

Along with Murrah, but Kilab preceded them,

And the Owner had thereby honored us,

And with Allah reward is sought.

Ibn Ishaq described how Quraish had innovated in calling themselves Al-Hums, which means to be harsh
and hard in religious matters. They did this because of their excessive veneration of the Sacred Precincts,
due to which they would not leave the Sacred Precincts on the night of ‘Arafah. They used to say, “We are
the sons of the Sacred Mosque and the inhabitants of the House of Allah (SWT).” And so they would not
stand upon ‘Arafah, even though they knew that this was one of the rites practiced by Ibrahim (Peace be
upon him). So determined were they in the practice of these wicked innovations that they would not abandon
them at any cost. They would not store dried yoghurt or ghee and they would not use animal fat while they
were in a state of ihram. Nor would they enter a tent made of camel hair, or seek shade except in a house of
adobe bricks, as long as they were in a state of ihram. Also, out of a deeply-rooted misconception, they
would not allow the Hajj and ‘Umrah pilgrims to eat any food except the food of Quraish and they would
not allow them to perform circumambulation of the Ka‘bah except in garments provided by Quraish and if
they were unable to find anyone from Quraish or their associated tribes, such as Kinanah and Khuza‘ah to
24
provide them with a garment, they had to circumambulate naked, even the women. For this reason, when a
woman was forced to circumambulate naked, she would place her hand over her private parts and say,

Today part or all of it appears,

And what appears of it I do not declare it lawful.

If one of those who found one of these so-called Ahmasi garments performed the circumambulation in his
own clothes, he would be obliged to discard them after completing the rite and he would not be allowed to
use them after that. In addition neither he nor anyone else was allowed to touch them. The Arabs used to
call these garments ‘Al-Laqy’ (that which is discarded). One of the poets said regarding this (Al-
BahrAtTaweel),

It is sad enough that he is,

Like a discarded garment,

Before those circumambulating the Ka‘bah.

Ibn Ishaq said, “They continued in this manner until Allah sent Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) and revealed the Qur’an to him, rejecting their innovations. He, Most High, says, 'Then depart
from the place whence all the people depart.' (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:199). It means the majority of the Arabs
depart from ‘Arafat. '…and ask Allah for His Forgiveness. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful'."
(Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:199). We have mentioned previously that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to stand at ‘Arafat even before Revelation came to him and this
conformity with Allah’s Divine Will was granted to him by Allah. And Allah revealed to him a rejection of
the prohibitions regarding clothing and food that they used to practice: "O, Children of Adam! Take your
adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying and going round (performing tawaf of) the
Ka‘bah, and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not AlMusrifoon (those
who waste by extravagance). Say (O, Muhammad), 'Who has forbidden the adoration with clothes given by
Allah, which He has produced for his slaves, and At-Tayyibat (all kinds of halal [lawful] things) of food?'
Say, 'They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe (and) exclusively for them (the Believers) on
the Day of Resurrection (and the disbelievers will not share them).' Thus We explain the Ayat (Islamic
laws) in detail for people who have knowledge." (Soorah Al-A‘raf 7:31,32). And Ziyad Al-Bakka’i said,
on the authority of Ibn Ishaq, “I do not know if these innovations of theirs began before the Year of the
Elephant or after that.”

The Book of the Sending of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) and Mention of the Signs of That
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq – may Allah have mercy on him – said, “The Jewish rabbis and the Christian and
Arab soothsayers had spoken of the matter of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) before his advent, when it drew near. As for what the Jewish rabbis and the Christian monks
found regarding the description of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and of his time,
and what had been foretold of his coming by their Prophets, Allah, Most High, says, 'Those who follow the
Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them
in the Tawrah (Deut. xviii, 15) and the Injeel (Gospel) (John xiv, 16).' (Soorah Al-A‘raf 7:157). And He,
Most High, says, 'And (remember) when ‘Eesa, son of Maryam (Mary), said, O, Children of Isra’eel! I am
the Messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Tawrah (which came) before me, and giving glad tidings
of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.' (Soorah AsSaff 61:6). And He, Most High,
says, 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are tough against disbelievers,
and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down in prostration (in prayer), seeking
bounties from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces
(foreheads) from the traces of (their) prostration (during prayers). This is their description in the Tawrah.'
(Soorah Al-Fat'h 48:29). And He, Most High, says, 'And (remember) when Allah took the Covenant of the
25
Prophets, saying, Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of
Allah, etc.), and afterward there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you;
you must then believe in him and help him. Allah said, 'Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My
Covenant (which I conclude with you)?' They said, 'We agree.' He said, 'Then bear witness; and I am with
you among the witnesses (for this)'." (Soorah Aal ‘Imran 3:81). And in Saheeh Al-Bukhari it is reported on
the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “Allah did not send a
Prophet except that He took a covenant from him that if Muhammad was sent while they were alive, they
would believe in him, support him and follow him.” It is known from this that all of the Prophets gave
tidings of his coming and ordered their followers to obey him.

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “O,
Messenger of Allah! Tell us how your Prophethood started.” He replied, “I am the supplication of my father,
Ibrahim and the glad tidings of ‘Eesa; and my mother saw that a light was emitted from her, which
illuminated the palaces of Ash-Sham.”

The meaning of this is that he wanted to know how his Prophethood began to be known to the people and
how his fame spread, so he mentioned the supplication of Ibrahim (Peace be upon him), from whom the
Arabs claim descent, then the glad tidings of ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him), who was the Seal of the Prophets
sent to the Children of Isra’eel, as we mentioned earlier. This proves that those Prophets between them (i.e.
Ibrahim and ‘Eesa also gave the glad tidings of his coming.

As for the heavenly host, his affair was spoken of and well- known to them since before the creation of
Adam (Peace be upon him), as narrated by Imam Ahmad on the authority of Al-‘Irbad Ibn Sariyah (May
Allah be pleased with him) who said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)
said, 'I was written as the slave of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets when Adam was still only clay. And I
shall inform you of the start of that: the supplication of Ibrahim, the glad tidings which ‘Eesa gave of me
and the vision which my mother saw. Likewise, all of the mothers of the Prophets saw something similar'.”

Ibn Ishaq said, “ ‘Asim Ibn ‘Umar Ibn Qatadah informed me on the authority of some men from his people
that they said, 'Among the things that called us to Islam – in addition to Allah’s Mercy and His Guidance
to us – was the fact that when we were pagan idol worshippers, we used to hear from the Jews, who were
People of the Scripture, having knowledge that we did not have – at a time when there was still enmity
between us – whenever we inflicted some harm on them, they would say to us, 'The time is near when a
Prophet will be sent and we will kill you with him, as the people of ‘Ad and Iram were killed.' And we used
to hear this frequently from them. Then, when Allah sent the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him), we responded positively when he called us to Allah, for we realized what they had
been threatening us with, so we rushed to follow him before they did, and we believed in him, while they
rejected him and disbelieved in him. So this Verse was revealed concerning us and them: 'And when there
came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur’an) from Allah confirming what is with them (the Tawrah and
the Injeel), although aforetime they had invoked Allah (for the coming of Muhammad — peace be upon
him) in order to gain victory over those who disbelieved, then, when there came to them that which they
had recognized, they disbelieved in it. So let the Curse of Allah be on the disbelievers'." (Soorah Al-Baqarah
2:89)

And Ibn Ishaq said, “It is reported on the authority of Salamah Ibn Salamah Ibn Waqsh (May Allah be
pleased with him), who was one of the participants in the Battle of Badr, that he said, 'We had a neighbor
from among the Jews in Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal and he came out to us one day from his house and stood
before Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal.' Salamah added, 'At that time, I was the youngest of them in years and I was
lying on a fur belonging to me in the yard of my family, and he spoke of the Resurrection, the Sending
Forth, the Reckoning, the Scale, Paradise and the Fire. He said these things to a pagans, idol worshipping
people, who did not believe that they would be resurrected after death.' So they said to him, 'Woe to you,
O, so-and-so! Do you believe that this happen? That the people will be sent forth after their death, to an
abode in which there is a Garden and a Fire, where they will be recompensed in accordance with their
deeds?' He said, 'Yes. And the greatest wish of those who enter it is that they may leave it on the morrow.'
They said to him, 'woe to you, O, so-and-so! And what will be the Sign of that?' He said, 'a Prophet will be
26
sent from the direction of these lands, ‘ and he pointed with his hand toward Makkah and Yemen. They
said, 'and when will we see him?' Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) said, 'then he looked at me –
and I was the youngest of them – and said, when this boy has exhausted his life, he will see him.' Salamah
said, 'and by Allah, no more than a day and a night had passed, when Allah sent His Messenger (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) and he was living amongst us; so we believed in him, while he (the Jew)
disbelieved in him out of transgression and envy. So we said to him, 'woe to you, O, so-andso! Was it not
you who told us about him?' He said, 'Yes; but it is not he'.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad.

Then Ibn Ishaq – may Allah have mercy on him – related the story of how Salman Al-Farisi embraced
Islam, saying, “It was reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him)
that he said, 'Salman Al-Farisi told me from his own lips, saying, I was a Persian man from a village in
Asfahan, which was known as Hayy. My father was the headman of the village and I was the dearest of
Allah’s creation to him. He loved me so much that he kept me in his house near the fire, as slave girls are
kept in. I strove hard in the Magian religion until I became the keeper of the fire, which I tended and did
not let go out for a moment. My father had a huge garden, and he was busy one day with some construction
work, so he said, O, my son! I am too busy with this building today, go and check my garden, and he told
me some of the things he wanted done. I went out, heading toward his garden, and I passed by one of the
Christian churches, where I could hear their voices as they were praying. I did not know anything about the
people because my father had kept me in his house. When I passed by and heard their voices, I entered upon
them to see what they were doing. When I saw them, I was impressed with their prayer and I was attracted
to their way. I said: By Allah, this is better than the religion that we follow. By Allah, I did not leave them
until the sun set, and I forgot about my father’s garden and did not go there. I said to them: Where did this
religion originate? They said: In Ash-Sham. Then I went back to my father, who had sent people out to look
for me, and I had distracted him from all his work. When I came to him, he said, O, my son! Where were
you? Did I not ask you to do what I asked? I said, O, my father! I passed by some people who were praying
in a church of theirs, and I was impressed with what I saw of their religion. By Allah, I stayed with them
until the sun set. He said, O, my son, there is nothing good in that religion. Your religion and that of your
forefathers is better than that. I said, No, by Allah, it is better than our religion. He was afraid for me, and
he put fetters on my legs and kept me in his house. I sent word to the Christians saying, If any Christian
merchants come to you from Ash-Sham, tell me about them. He said, Some Christian merchants came to
them from Ash-Sham and they told me about them. I said to them, When they have completed their business
and want to go back to their own country, tell me about that. So when they wanted to go back to their own
country, they told me about that, and I threw off the shackles from my legs and went out with them, until I
came to Ash-Sham. When I reached Ash-Sham, I said, Who is the best person in this religion? They said,
The bishop in the church. So I went to him and said, I like this religion, and I would like to stay with you
and serve you in your church and learn from you and pray with you. He said, Come in. So I went in with
him, but he was a bad man. He would command them and exhort them to give charity, but he kept a great
deal of it for himself and did not give it to the poor; he had amassed seven chests of gold and silver. I hated
him deeply when I saw what he was doing, then he died and the Christians gathered to bury him. I said to
them, This was a bad man; he commanded you and exhorted you to give charity, but when you brought it
to him he kept it for himself and did not give any of it to the poor. They said, How do you know that? Show
us where his treasure is. So I showed them where it was and they brought out seven chests filled with gold
and silver. When they saw that they said, By Allah, we will never bury him. Then they crucified him and
pelted him with stones. Then they brought another man and appointed him in his place. Salman said, I have
never seen a man who does not offer the five daily prayers who was better than he; he shunned this world
and sought the Hereafter and no one strove harder than him night and day. I loved him as I had never loved
anyone before, and I stayed with him for a while. Then when he was about to die, I said, O, so-and-so! I
was with you and I loved you as I have never loved anyone before, and now the decree of Allah has come
to you as you see; to whom do you advise me to go? What do you command me to do? He said, O, my son!
By Allah, I do not know of anyone today who follows what I followed. The people are doomed; they have
changed and abandoned most of what they used to follow, except for a man in Mawsil. He is so-and-so and
he follows what I used to follow, so go and join him. When he died and was buried, I went to the man in
Mawsil. I said to him, O, so-and-so! so-and-so advised me when he died to come to you, and he told me
that you follow the same as he followed. He said to me, stay with me. So I stayed with him, and I found
him to be a good man who followed the same as his companion had followed. But soon he died. When he
27
was dying I said to him, O, so-and-so! so-and-so advised me to come to you and told me to join you, but
now there has come to you from Allah what you see. To whom do you advise me to go? What do you
command me to do? He said, O, my son! By Allah I do not know of anyone who follows what we used to
follow except a man in Naseebeen. He is so-and-so; go to him. When he died and was buried, I went to the
man in Naseebeen. I came to him and told him my story and what my companion had told me to do. He
said, Stay with me. So I stayed with him and I found him to be a follower of the same way as his two
companions, and I stayed with a good man. By Allah, soon death came upon him, and when he was dying
I said to him, O, so-and-so! so-and-so advised me to go to so-and-so; then so-and-so advised me to come
to you. To whom do you advise me to go and what do you command me to do? He said, O, my son! By
Allah we do not know of anyone left who follows our way and to whom I can tell you to go, except a man
in ‘Ammooriyyah. He follows something like what we follow. If you wish, go to him, for he follows our
way. When he died and was buried, I went to the man in ‘Ammooriyyah and told him my story. He said,
Stay with me. So I stayed with a man who was following the same way as his companions. I earned wealth
until I had cows and sheep, then the decree of Allah came to him. When he was dying I said to him, O, so-
and-so! I was with so-and-so, and so-and-so told me to go to so-and-so; then so-and-so told me to go to so-
and-so; then so-and-so told me to come to you. To whom do you advise me to go and what do you command
me to do? He said, O, my son! By Allah, I do not know of anyone who follows our way to whom I can
advise you to go. But there has come the time of a Prophet, who will be sent with the Religion of Ibrahim.
He will appear in the land of the Arabs and will migrate to a land between two harrahs (lave fields), between
which there are palm trees. He will have characteristics that will not be hidden. He will eat of what is given
as a gift but he will not eat of what is given as charity. Between his shoulder blades is the Seal of
Prophethood. If you can go to that land then do so. Then he died and was buried, and I stayed in
‘Ammooriyyah as long as Allah willed I should stay. Then some merchants of Kalb passed by me and I
said to them, will you take me to the land of the Arabs and I will give you these cows and sheep of mine?
They said, yes. So I gave them the cows and sheep, and they took me there, but when they brought me to
Wadi Al-Qura, they wronged me and sold me as a slave to a Jewish man. When I was with him I saw the
palm trees, and I hoped that this was the land that my companion had described to me, but I was not sure.
While I was with him, a cousin of his from Banu Quraizah came to him from Al-Madinah, and he sold me
to him and he took me to Al-Madinah. By Allah, as soon as I saw it, I recognized it from the description
given to me by my companion. I stayed there, and Allah sent His Messenger, who stayed in Makkah as long
as Allah willed, and I did not hear anything about him because I was so busy with the work of a slave. Then
he migrated to Al-Madinah, and by Allah, I was at the top of a palm tree belonging to my master, doing
some work on it, and my master was sitting there. Then a cousin of his came and stood beside him, and
said, May Allah kill Banu Qailah! By Allah, right now they are gathering in Quba’ to welcome a man who
has come from Makkah today; and they say that he is a Prophet. When I heard that, I began to shiver so
much that I thought I would fall on top of my master. I came down from the tree and started saying to that
cousin of his, what are you saying, what are you saying? My master got angry and he struck me with his
fist and said, what has it got to do with you? Go back to your work! I said, “nothing; I just wanted to make
sure of what he was saying. I had something that I had collected, and when evening came, I went to the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) when he was in Quba’ and I entered upon
him and said to him, I have heard that you are a righteous man and that you have companions who are
strangers and are in need. This is something that I have to give in charity, and I see that you are more in
need of it than anyone else. I brought it near to him and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) said to his Companions, “Eat,” but he refrained from eating. I said to myself, This is
one. Then I went away and collected some more. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) moved to Al-Madinah, then I came to him and said: I see that you do not eat (food given in)
charity; this is a gift with which I wish to honor you. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) ate some of it and told his Companions to eat too. I said to myself: This is two. Then I came
to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) when he was in Baqee‘ Al-Gharqad,
where he had attended the funeral of one of his Companions and he was wearing two shawls and was sitting
among his Companions. I greeted him with salutations of peace and then I moved behind him, trying to
look at his back to see the Seal that my companion had described to me. When the Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) saw me going behind him, he realized that I was trying to find
confirmation of something that had been described to me, so he let his rida’ drop from his back, and I saw

28
the Seal and recognized it. Then I embraced him, kissing (the Seal) and weeping, and the Messenger of
Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me: “Turn around.” So I turned around and I told
him my story as I have told it to you, O, Ibn ‘Abbas. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) wanted his companions to hear that. Then Salman was kept busy with the work of a slave,
saying he had missed attending the battles of Badr and Uhud with the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him). He said, Then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) said to me, Draw up a contract of manumission, O, Salman. So I drew up a contract of
manumission with my master in return for three hundred palm trees which I would plant for him, and forty
uqiyyahs. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his Companions:
Help your brother. So they helped me with the palm trees, one man gave thirty small trees and another gave
twenty, and another gave fifteen, and another gave ten, i.e., each man gave according to what he had, until
they had collected three hundred small trees for me. Then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) said to me, Go, O, Salman and dig the holes where they are to be planted. When you
have finished, come to me and I will plant them with my own hand. So I dug the holes for them, and my
companions helped me, then, when I finished, I came to him and told him. The Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) came out with me and we started to bring the trees close and the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) planted them with his own hand. By Him
in Whose Hand is the soul of Salman, not one single tree among them died. So I had paid off the trees but
there still remained the money. A piece of gold the size of an egg was brought to the Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) from one of his Campaigns. He said, what happened to the
Persian who had a contract of manumission? I was summoned to him and he said, take this and pay off what
you owe, O, Salman. I said, how could this pay off everything I owe, O, Messenger of Allah? He said, take
it, and Allah will help you to pay off what you owe. So I took it and weighed it for them, and by Him in
Whose Hand is the soul of Salman, it was forty uqiqyahs, so I paid them their dues and I was set free. I was
present with the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) at the Battle of Al-
Khandaq, and after that I did not miss any major event with him.”

The Story of ‘Amr Ibn Murrah Al-Juhani

At-Tabarani narrated on the authority of ‘Amr Ibn Murrah Al-Juhani (May Allah be pleased with him) that
he said, “I set out to perform Hajj with a group of my people during the Jahiliyyah and I saw in a dream
while I was in Makkah a brilliant light emanating from the Ka‘bah and reaching to Mount Yathrib and
Ash‘ar Juhainah; and I heard a voice coming from the light and it was saying, 'Islam has appeared, the idols
have been broken and the ties of kinship have been joined.' I awoke from the dream in a state of fear and I
said to my people, 'By Allah, something is happening to this tribe from Quraish, ‘ and I informed them of
what I had seen. Then, when we returned to our land, news came to me that a man called Ahmad had been
sent and so I went to him and informed him of what I had seen and he said, 'O, ‘Amr Ibn Murrah! I am the
Prophet who has been sent to all of the slaves, to call them to Islam and to order them to cease bloodshed,
maintain the ties of kinship, worship Allah, reject idols, perform Hajj to the House (of Allah) and to fast the
month of Ramadan from among the twelve months. If anyone accepts all this, he will attain Paradise, but if
anyone rejects it, he will be recompensed with the Fire. So believe, O, ‘Amr, and Allah will protect you
from the 'Awfulness of the Hellfire.' I said, 'I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, and
that you are the Messenger of Allah. I believe in what you have brought pertaining to what is lawful and
what is unlawful, even though many people may reject it.' Then I recited to him some poetic verses which
I had composed when I heard of him. We had an idol and my father had been its custodian and so I had
stood before it and broken it, then I went to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and
recited to him,

I bear witness that Allah is true and that,

I am the first to abandon the stone idols,

And I rolled up my izar to migrate to you,

Traversing the desert, after crossing the flatlands,

29
 To accompany the best of mankind in soul and lineage,

A Messenger to the kings of mankind, above the stars.

The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Welcome to you, O, ‘Amr Ibn Murrah.' I
said, 'O, Messenger of Allah! Send me to my people; haply, Allah may bless them through me, just as He
has blessed me through you.' So he sent me to them and he said, 'it is incumbent upon you to be kind and
speak the truth, and do not be uncivil or arrogant, and do not be envious.' Then he related that he went to
his people and called them to that to which the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) had called him, and all of them embraced Islam, except one man from among them. He went with
them in a delegation to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), who welcomed
them and greeted them warmly and he had a letter written for them, which stated, 'In the Name of Allah,
the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful: This is a missive from Allah, from the lips of His Messenger (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him). It is a truthful writing and true speech, in the hands of ‘Amr Ibn
Murrah Al-Juhani, for Juhainah Ibn Zaid: Verily, to you belong the valleys and the flatlands, and the banks
of the rivers and their beds. You may grow crops and drink their pure waters, on the understanding that you
agree to Al-khums, to offer the five daily prayers, to remain obedient … and there is no charity incumbent
upon those who have only sufficient provisions for themselves. Those Muslims present bear witness on our
Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to the writing of Qais Ibn Shammas'.”

And Al-Hafiz Abu Nu‘aim narrated in Dala’il An-Nubuwwah on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah
be pleased with him) that he said, “The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked,
'When was the Prophethood made incumbent on you?' He replied, 'Between the creation of Adam and the
breathing of the spirit into him.' This is how it was narrated by At-Tirmidhi by way of Al-Waleed Ibn
Muslim and he said, 'It is hasan-ghareeb from Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) and we do
not know it except from this source'.”

Carrying the same meaning is the Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad on the authority of Al-‘Irbad Ibn
Sariyah, who said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'The
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Verily, I was with Allah the Seal of
the Prophets when Adam was still only clay and I shall inform you of the start of that: It was the supplication
of my father, Ibrahim, the glad tidings of ‘Eesa regarding me and the vision which my mother saw, as indeed
did all of the mothers of the Prophets'.”

And Al-Hafiz Abu Nu‘aim narrated in Dala’il An-Nubuwwah on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah
be pleased with him), who reported from the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) that he
said regarding the Saying of Allah, Most High: "And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their
covenant." (Soorah Al-Ahzab 33:7), “I was the first of the Prophets in creation and the last of them to be
sent.”

And it was reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) in the Hadith whose
authenticity is agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim: “We who are the last shall be the first on the Day
of Resurrection, except that every nation was given the Book before us and we were given it after them.”

And Allah, Most High, says, [ And (remember) when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying,
“Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allah, etc.), and
afterward there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then,
believe in him and help him.” Allah said, “Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I
conclude with you)?” They said, “We agree.” He said, “Then bear witness; and I am with you among the
witnesses (for this).” Then whoever turns away after this, they are the Fasiqoon (rebellious: those who turn
away from obedience to Allah)." (Soorah Aal ‘Imran 3:81,82)

‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with
him) said, “Allah did not send any Prophet except that He took from him a Covenant to the effect that if
Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was sent while he was alive, he would certainly

30
believe in him, and support him and He commanded him to accept the Covenant on behalf of his people, if
he was sent while they were alive, that they would certainly believe in him and support him.”

This is an allusion to, and an indication of the distinction bestowed on him and his superiority in all of the
religions and in the words of all of the Prophets. It is also a notification to them and from them, that he will
be sent as a Messenger at the end of time and that he is the noblest of the Messengers and the Seal of the
Prophets. And Ibrahim, Al-Khaleel (Peace be upon him), explained his affair, revealed the information
about him and his secret. He also disclosed details of his nobility and honor, his birth and his land, in his
saying, when he had completed the construction of the House (of Allah): “Our Lord! Send amongst them a
Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad), who shall
recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’an) and AlHikmah (full knowledge
of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood, etc.), and sanctify them. Verily! You are
the Almighty, the Most Wise.” (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:129). So the first elucidation of the truth of his affair
among the people of the Earth was on the lips of Ibrahim, Al-Khaleel, the noblest of the Prophets with
Allah, after Muhammad – may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them both and upon all of the
Prophets. Due to this, Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Luqman Ibn ‘Amir that he said, “I heard
Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) say, I said, 'O, Prophet of Allah! What was the start of your
Prophethood?' He said, 'I am the supplication of my father, Ibrahim and the glad tidings of ‘Eesa, and my
mother saw a vision in which a light was being emitted from her which illuminated the palaces of Ash-
Sham'.” Imam Ahmad was alone in narrating this, and none of the compilers of the six Sunan narrated it.

Allah, Most High, says, "Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e.
Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Tawrah (Deut. xviii, 15) and the Injeel (John xiv, 16)
– he commands them to do Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained), and
forbids them from committing Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has
forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibat ([i.e. all good and lawful] as regards things, deeds, beliefs,
persons, foods, etc.) and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khaba’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards
things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allah’s Covenant)
and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honor him,
help him and follow the light (the Qur’an) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be
successful." (Soorah Al-A‘raf 7:157)

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Abu Sakhr Al-‘Uqaili that he said, “A Bedouin man said to me,
'I brought some trade goods to Al-Madinah and when I finished selling them, I said, I will certainly meet
this man and hear what he has to say. He said, 'I encountered him in the company of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar
and they were walking, so I followed them until they came to a Jewish man who was reciting the Tawrah
and consoling himself thereby for the death of a son of his, as the best and most handsome of young men.'
On hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'I implore you
by Him Who revealed the Tawrah, do you find in this Book of yours a description of me and of my
appearance?' He replied in the negative by shaking his head. But his (dead) son said, 'yes, by Him Who
revealed the Tawrah, we find your description in our Book and of your appearance and I bear witness that
none is worthy of worship except Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Lift up your brother from this Jew.' Then he delegated
some people to shroud his body and to pray over him.” The isnad of this Hadith is good and it has supporting
narrations in the Saheeh, on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him).

And it is confirmed in the Saheeh that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)
passed by the place where the Jews studied their Scripture and he said, “O, company of Jews! Embrace
Islam, for by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you certainly find my description in your Book.”

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘Ata’ Ibn Yasar that he said, “I met ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn
Al‘As and I said, 'Inform me about the descriptions of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) in the Tawrah.' He replied, 'Certainly; by Allah, he is described in the Tawrah just as
he is described in the Qur’an: O, Prophet! Verily, We have sent you as a witness, as a bringer of glad tidings,
as a warner and as a sanctuary for the unlettered. You are My slave and My Messenger. I have named you
31
Al-Mutawakkil; He is without coarseness and he is not harsh, nor does he act boisterously in the market
places, nor return evil for evil. Instead, he pardons and forgives. And Allah will not take him unto Him until
they (the Muslims) straighten the crooked religion, so that they (its adherents) say, 'None is worthy of
worship except Allah.' Allah will open up the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf and the hearts that are
wrapped.”

And the fact that he is mentioned in the books of the People of the Scripture is undeniable; this is proved
by numerous Verses in the Qur’an, which we have discussed in the relevant place, all praise and thanks be
to Allah. Such verses include the Words of Him, Most High: "Those to whom We gave the Scripture (i.e.
the Tawrah and the Injeel, etc.) before it – they believe in it (the Qur’an). And when it is recited to them,
they say, 'We believe in it. Verily, it is the Truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it, we have been from
those who submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims.” (like ‘Abdullah Ibn Salam and Salman
AlFarisi, etc.) (Soorah Al-Qasas 28:52,53). And He, Most High, says, "Those to whom We gave the
Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognize him (Muhammad or the Ka‘bah in Makkah) as they recognize
their sons. But verily, a party of them conceals the truth while they know it – (i.e. the qualities of
Muhammad, which are written in the Tawrah and the Injeel." (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:146) And He, Most
High, says, "Say (O, Muhammad, to them), 'Believe in it (the Qur’an) or do not believe (in it). Verily! Those
who were given knowledge before it (the Jews and the Christians like ‘Abdullah Ibn Salam and Salman Al-
Farisi), when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration.' And they say, 'Glory be
to our Lord! Truly, the Promise of our Lord must be fulfilled'.” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:107,108) That is, if our
Lord has promised us that Muhammad will come and that he will bring a Message, then it will certainly
happen without any doubt; glory be to the All-Powerful, Who is Able to do as He wills and Whom nothing
can hinder. And He, Most High, says, regarding the Christians, "And when they (who call themselves
Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad, you see their eyes overflowing
with tears because of the Truth they have recognized. They say, 'Our Lord! We believe; so write us down
among the witnesses'.” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:83). And in the story of the Negus (of Abyssinia), Salman
Al-Farisi, ‘Abdullah Ibn Salam and others, as we shall see, there are several testimonies to this. All praise
and thanks be to Allah, from Whom proceeds all Grace.

Regarding the Communications of the Jinns: Being the Words They Placed
On the Lips of the Soothsayers and Which They Caused to Be Heard From
Within the Idols
Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar that he said, “I never heard ‘Umar say about
something, 'I believe it is like this, ‘ except that it turned out that he was right. Once, while ‘Umar was
sitting, a handsome man passed by him. ‘Umar said, 'If I am not wrong, this person is still following the
religion that he followed in the Jahiliyyah or he was their foreteller. Call the man to me.' When the man
was called to him, he told him of his thought. The man said, 'I have never seen such a day on which a
Muslim is faced with such an accusation.' ‘Umar said, 'I am determined that you should tell me the truth.'
He said, 'I was a foreteller in the Jahiliyyah.' Then ‘Umar said, 'Tell me the most astonishing thing that your
female jinni has told you.' He said, 'One day while I was in the market, she came to me scared and said,

Haven’t you seen the jinn and their despair,

And they were overthrown after their defeat (and prevented from listening to the news of the heaven),

So that they (stopped going to the sky),

And kept following camel-riders (i.e. ‘Arabs)?

‘Umar said, 'He is right, ‘ and added, 'One day while I was near their idols, there came a man with a calf
and slaughtered it as a sacrifice (for the idols). An (unseen) creature shouted at him, and I have never heard
a harsher voice than his. He was crying, 'O, you bold evildoer! A matter of success! An eloquent man is
saying, 'None has the right to be worshipped except You (O, Allah).' On that, the people fled, but I said, 'I
shall not go away till I know what is behind this.' Then the cry came again: 'O, you bold evildoer! A matter
32
of success! An eloquent man is saying, 'None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.' I then went away
and a few days later it was said that a Prophet had appeared.” Al-Bukhari was alone in narrating this.

This man (with whom ‘Umar spoke) was Sawad Ibn Qarib Al-Azdi, or it was said, As-Sadusi, from the
people of As-Sarat, from the mountains of Al-Balqa’. He met the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him, and was treated with respect. Abu Hatim and Ibn Mandah said that Sa‘eed Ibn Jubair and Abu
Ja‘afar Ibn ‘Ali narrated from him and Al-Bukhari said, “He is regarded as a Companion (having met the
Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him).”

And Al-Khara’iti said, “It was reported on the authority of Al-‘Abbas Ibn Mirdas that he said that he saw a
white ostrich ridden by a man in white garments, the color of milk and he said,

'O, ‘Abbas Ibn Mirdas! Do you not see that the heaven’s guardians have prevented the jinn from
approaching it?

That war has gulped in its breath,

That the saddles have been placed on the horses,

That he who brought piety and fear of Allah has arrived,

On Monday/Tuesday night, the owner of the she-camel named Al-Qaswa?'

On hearing this, I returned in a state of fear, for what I had seen and heard had frightened me. On arriving
home, I went to an idol named Ad-Dimar, which we used to worship, and to which we used to speak and I
swept around it, then I stroked it and kissed it, but as I did so, a cry came from within it, saying (Al-Bahr
ul-Kamil),

'Say to the all of the tribes of Sulaim that,

Ad-Dimar is dead and the people of the Mosque have triumphed,

Ad-Dimar is dead and it used to be worshipped,

Before prayer with Prophet Muhammad came,

Verily, he who has inherited Prophethood and guidance,

After the son of Maryam, is from Quraish and he is rightly-guided'

On hearing this, I departed in fear and went on until I came to my people and I told them the story of what
I had seen and heard. Then I set out at the head of three hundred men of my tribe, Banu Harithah, and went
to the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, who was in Madinah, and we entered
the Mosque. When the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, saw me, he said to
me, 'O, ‘Abbas! How did you come to embrace Islam?' So I told him the story and it pleased him, and I and
my people embraced Islam.”

Al-Hafiz Abul Qasim Ibn ‘Asakir narrated in his Tareekh, in the biography Al-Harith Ibn Hani’ Ibn
AlMudlij Ibn Al-Miqdad Ibn Zamil Ibn ‘Amr Al-‘Udhri, who reported on the authority of his father, who
in turn reported on the authority of his grandfather, who likewise reported on the authority of his father,
who reported on the authority of Zamil Ibn ‘Amr Al-‘Udhri that he said, “Banu ‘Udhrah had an idol which
they called Hamam and they used to venerate it. It was with Banu Hind Ibn Haram Ibn Dinnah Ibn ‘Abd
Ibn Katheer Ibn ‘Udhrah and its custodian was a man named Tariq. They used to remove their clothes in its
presence; then, when the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, appeared, we
heard a voice saying, 'O Banu Hind Ibn Haram! The Truth has prevailed and Islam has repelled idolatry.'
He said, 'We were terrified when we heard this and we remained there for a number of days. Then we heard

33
a voice saying, 'O Tariq! O, Tariq! The truthful Prophet has been sent and he speaks Words of Revelation.
A conqueror has conquered the land of Tihamah for the supporters of Islam, while those who turn away
from it will have cause to regret. This is farewell from me until the Day of Resurrection.'

Zamil said, 'Then the idol fell on its face. So I saddled my camel and rode with some of my people until I
reached the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, and when I met him, I recited these poetic
verses to him (Al-Bahr At-Taweel):

'To you, Messenger of Allah, I composed it,

And I crossed valleys and sandy declivities,

In order to support the best of mankind,

And to make common cause with you,

And I bear witness that there is nothing except Allah,

To Whom I pledge allegiance as long as I live.'

He said, 'Then I embraced Islam and pledged my allegiance to him and we informed him of what we had
heard, on which he said: 'That was the speech of the Jinn.' Then he said: 'O assembly of Arabs! I am the
Messenger of Allah, sent to you and to all mankind. I call upon you to the worship of Allah, Alone, and to
acknowledge that I am His Messenger and His Slave; to perform Hajj to the House (of Allah); to fast one
of the twelve months (in a year), that is, Ramadan. Whoever accepts my call will have Paradise as his abode,
while those who disobey me, the Fire will be his end.'

Zamil said, 'So we embraced Islam and he formed us into a brigade (in case of war) and wrote a document
for us, the text of which was: In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, from
Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Zamil Ibn ‘Amr and those who have embraced Islam with him
only.

I have sent him to all of his people, so whoever embraces Islam, he is in the Party of Allah and His
Messenger. But if anyone refuses, he will be granted safety for two months.

‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Muhammad Ibn Maslamah Al-Ansari bear witness to what I say'." Ibn ‘Asakir
commented that this is extremely ghareeb.

34
 Chapter on How the Revelation Began to Come to the Messenger
of Allah And Mention of the First Thing Revealed to Him From
the Qur’an
Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said, “The
commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,
was in the form of good dreams which came true like broad daylight, and then the love of seclusion was
bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion to the Cave of Hira’ where he used to worship (Allah, the
Almighty, Alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family overcame him. He used to
take food with him on the journey, for the stay and then would come back to (his wife) Khadeejah, may
Allah be pleased with her, to take more food supplies, until suddenly the Truth descended upon him while
he was in the Cave of Hira’.

The angel came to him and asked him to read. He replied: 'I do not know how to read.' The Prophet said:
'The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released
me and again asked me to read and I replied: 'I am not a literate.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed
me a second time until I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read but
again I replied: 'I am not a literate.'

Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me; then he released me and said: 'Read in the Name
of your Lord, who has created (all that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the
Most Generous who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he know not'.' (Soorah
Al-‘Alaq 96:1-5)

Then the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, returned with the Inspiration and
with his heart pounding. He went to Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid, may Allah be pleased with her, and said:
'Cover me! Cover me!' They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had
happened and said: “I fear that something may happen to me.”

Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, replied, 'Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You
keep good relations with your kith and kin, serve your guests generously, assist the weak, benefit those who
have nothing and support people afflicted by calamity.' Khadeejah then took him to her cousin Waraqah
Ibn Nawfal Ibn Asad Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic period had become a Christian and
used to write Hebrew. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah, the Almighty, wished
him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight.

Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, said to Waraqah, 'Listen to the story of your nephew, O my
cousin!' Waraqah asked, 'O my nephew! What have you seen?' The Messenger of Allah, Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him, described what he had seen. Waraqah said, 'This is the same one who keeps
the secrets (the Angel Jibraeel, peace be upon him) whom Allah sent to Moosa. I wish I were young and I
wish that I could live up to the time when your people will drive you out.' The Messenger of Allah, Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him, asked: 'Will they drive me out?' Waraqah replied, 'Yes. All those who
have brought something similar to what you brought were treated with disdain and hostility; and if I should
remain alive till the day when you will be turned out, then I would support you strongly.'

Waraqah did not remain (alive); he died, and the Divine Inspiration also paused for a while; and the Prophet,
Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, became so sad, as we have heard, that he intended several times
to throw himself from the tops of high mountains, and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order
to throw himself down, Jibraeel, may Allah be plead with him, would appear before him and say, 'O
Muhammad! You are indeed the Messenger of Allah in truth, ‘ whereupon his heart would become quiet
and he would calm down and return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used
to become long, he would do as before, but when he reached the top of a mountain, Jibraeel (Peace be upon
him) would appear before him and say to him what he had said before.”

35
The Mother of the Believers, ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, 'The commencement of the
Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, was in the form of
good dreams which came true like bright daylight'." This strengthens the narration related by Muhammad
Ibn Ishaq Ibn Yasar on the authority of ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umar Al-Laithi, in which it was stated that the Prophet,
Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Jibraeel came to me with a rug of silk brocade on which
there was writing, while I was sleeping, and he said: “Read!” I asked: “What shall I read?” Then he pressed
me until I felt that I was dying, then he released me.”

Mention of His Age at the Time When He Was Sent and the History of It
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘Amir Ash-Sha‘bi that the Prophethood came on the Messenger
of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, when he was forty years old. For three years, Angel
Israfeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood and he taught him words and things, but
the Qur’an was not revealed. Then, after three years, Angel Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted
with his Prophethood and the Qur’an was revealed over a period of twenty years in Makkah and three years
in Madinah. He died when he was sixty-three years old. This chain of narrators is authentic up to Ash-
Sha‘bi. This necessitates that Israfeel (Peace be upon him) was entrusted with his Prophethood for three
years after he reached the age of forty years and then Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him.

Abu Shamah said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to witness
miraculous things before the start of his Prophethood, including that which has been narrated in Saheeh
Muslim, on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, “The Messenger
of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'I know a stone in Makkah which used to greet
me with salutations of peace before I was sent as a Prophet; indeed, I know it now'.”

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) only liked seclusion and solitude from his people because of
the clear error in which he saw them, i.e., the worship of idols and prostration to graven images. His love
of solitude increased as the time approached when Allah, the Almighty, began sending down the Revelation
to him – Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him. Muhammad Ibn Ishaq reported on the authority of
‘Abdul Malik Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abu Sufyan Ibn Al-‘Ala' Ibn Jariyah that he said, “It was preserved from
one of the scholars that he said, 'The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used
to make a sojourn to the Cave of Hira’ every year for a month, during which time he would devote himself
to Allah, the Almighty. One of the practices of Quraish during the Jahiliyyah was that they used to feed any
poor person who came to them and after finishing their hospitality, they would not enter their homes until
they performed circumambulation of the Ka‘bah'." This is how it was narrated on the authority of Wahb
Ibn Kaisan, who said that he heard ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umair telling ‘Abdullah Ibn AzZubair something like this.
This proves that it was the custom of the worshippers from Quraish to remain in the vicinity of Hira’ for
the purpose of worship, which is why Abu Talib said in his famous Qasidah (Ode) (Al-Bahr At-Taweel):

By Thawr and Him Who anchored Thabeer in its place,

And one who ascended to Hira’ and descended from it.

And the saying in the Hadith (in Saheeh Muslim): “Tahannuth is worship…” is an explanation of the
meaning, but the literal meaning of Tahannuth is to reach the age of mental and physical maturity, according
to As-Suhaili. But I have heard a few expressions in language which indicate that its meaning is to abandon
sin and refrain from evildoing, while Tahajjud means to forsake Al-Hujood, i.e. sleep, in order to pray; and
Tanajjus (to do something that removes one from a state of impurity) and Taqadhdhur (meaning to deem
something impure or sinful). These meanings were cited by Abu Shamah. Ibn AlA‘rabi was asked about
Tahannuth meaning worship and he said, “I do not know this; I only know it as being from the Hanifiyyah,
the Religion of Ibrahim (Peace be upon him).” Ibn Hisham said, “The Arabs say 'At-Tahannuth' and 'At-
Tahannuf'; they replace the letter Tha’ with the letter Fa’.”

As for the words: “…until the Truth came upon him suddenly, while he was in Hira’ Cave,” the meaning is
that it came upon him unexpectedly, as Allah, Most High, says, "And you were not expecting that the Book
36
(this Qur’an) would be sent down to you, but it is a Mercy from your Lord." (Soorah Al-Qasas 28:86) The
opening Verses of this Soorah: "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), has
created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
Who has taught (the writing) by the pen (the first person to write was Prophet Idrees, peace be upon him),
has taught man that which he knew not" – were the first Verses revealed to him, as we confirmed in the
Tafseer. And we shall also show that they were revealed on a Monday, as it was confirmed thus in Saheeh
Muslim, on the authority of Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: “That is the
day on which I was born and the day on which the Qur’an was revealed to me.”

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Wathilah Ibn Al-Asqa‘, may Allah be pleased with him, that the
Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Scriptures of Ibrahim were revealed on
the first night of Ramadan, the Tawrah was revealed on the sixth day of Ramadan, the Injeel was revealed
on the thirteenth night of Ramadan and the Qur’an was revealed on the twenty-fourth day of Ramadan.”

As for the saying of Jibraeel, may Allah be pleased with him, “Read!” and the Prophet’s response: “I am
not a literate,” the correct interpretation is that it is a negation, i.e., “I am not one of those who excel at
reading.” Among those who favored this meaning were An-Nawawi and before him, Shaikh Abu Shamah.
As for those who said that it is a question, it is unlikely, because the letter "Ba’ " used in the Verse is not
added excepted in negative statements. The former interpretation is also supported by the narration of Abu
Nu‘aim from the Hadith of Al-Mu‘tamir Ibn Sulaiman, who reported on the authority of his father that he
said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), who was in a state of fear and
trembling, said: 'I have never read a book, I do not excel at it and I can neither read nor write.' Then Jibraeel
seized him and pressed him hard, then released him and said to him, “Read!” And Muhammad (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I do not see anything to read and I do not read or write.” It was also
narrated as: ( َّ‫ )غط‬as in the Saheehain.” And it was narrated as:‫ت ّّني ووققدد‬ ّ ‫ ) )غ‬i.e. “he throttled me.” –
“until I was exhausted.” And he did this three times.

Abu Sulaiman Al-Khattabi said, “He only did this in order to test his patience, to improve his selfdiscipline
and to train him to bear the burdens of Prophethood with which he had been entrusted. This is why he was
afflicted with the feeling similar to that of a feverish person, i.e., shaking and sweating.

As for the words “then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) returned with
it (the Inspiration) to Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, with his heart pounding,” in another
version, it was stated: “his ‘Bawadir’,” which is the plural of ‘Badirah’. Abu ‘Ubaidah said, “the flesh
between the shoulder and the neck.”

As for Khadeejah’s saying, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you,” it was said that it means by
causing him to be dishonored and it was also said that it means by causing him sorrow. And this was due
to her knowledge of the fine attributes which Allah, the Almighty, had bestowed on him, and that anyone
possessing such qualities would not be disgraced in the life of this world or in the Hereafter. And her saying,
“…assist the weak,” means that he used to give those who were responsible for feeding and maintaining
their families the wherewithal to carry out those responsibilities. “…benefit those who have nothing,” i.e.,
you hasten to do good deeds by giving to the poor and you gain the reward of it before others. And a poor
person is called ‘Ma‘doom’ because his life is deficient and it is the same to him whether he lives or dies.

Al-Khattabi said, “The correct interpretation of: “…and you benefit those who have nothing” by clothing
them or giving them money with which to purchase the necessities of life.” Shaikh Abul Hajjaj Al-Mizzi
said that the meaning preferred by him regarding "Al-Ma‘doom" here is: the money that is given. That is,
he gives the money to those who have none. As for anyone who claims that what is meant is: You benefit
by giving the leftover money from your trade, or by giving a little of that which is valuable, he has gone far
astray and attempted to explain a matter of which he has no knowledge, for such a person is not deserving
of praise in most cases. This opinion was declared weak by Al-Qadi Iyad, An-Nawawi and others. And
Allah knows best.

37
“You serve your guests generously,” means: You are generous in the hospitality that you offer to them and
you provide good accommodation for them. “…And support people afflicted by calamity.” That is, when
calamity strikes a person, causing him to lose something good, you help him in it and you stand by the one
so afflicted until he finds the means to live.

Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, then took him to her cousin Waraqah. He was an old man and
had lost his eyesight. Khadeejah said to Waraqah, “Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!”
Waraqah asked, “O my nephew! What have you seen?” The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) described what he had seen. Waraqah said, “This is the same one who keeps the secrets
(the Angel Jibraeel, peace be upon him) whom Allah sent to Moosa.”

He did not mention ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him), even though he came after Moosa (Peace be upon him),
because the Law given to the former was a completion and a perfection of that given to the latter (may the
blessings and peace of Allah be upon them both) and some of it was abrogated, according to the correct
opinion of the scholars, as He, Most High, says,

“…and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you.” (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3:50).

And this saying of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal is like the saying of the Jinn: They said, “O our people! Verily! We
have heard a Book (this Qur’an) sent down after Moosa, confirming what came before it, it guides to the
truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam).” (Soorah Al-Ahqaf 46:30).

Then Waraqah said, “I wish I were young…” i.e., I wish that I was a young man today, firm of faith and
possessing beneficial knowledge and able to perform righteous deeds. And his saying, “…and I wish that I
could live up to the time when your people will drive you out...” – means so that I might depart with you
and support you.

When he said this, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Will they
drive me out?” As-Suhaili said, “He only said this because leaving one’s homeland is a great hardship for
human beings. Waraqah then replied, “Yes. All those who brought something similar to what you have
brought were treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out,
then I would support you strongly.” That is, I would support you to the utmost of my ability, always. Then
‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, added, “But Waraqah, did not remain, but died.” That is, he only
lived for a few days after hearing this story, after which he died – may Allah have mercy on him and may
He be pleased with him – for words such as those that emanated from him prove that he believed what he
heard, had faith in the Revelation about which he was informed and had a righteous intention to support
him in the future.

Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that Khadeejah, may
Allah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) about
Waraqah and he said: “I saw him and he was wearing white garments; and I think that if he had been one
of the inhabitants of the Fire, he would not have been wearing white garments.”

Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar narrated on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that
she said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not malign
Waraqah, for I have seen one or two Gardens for him.”

Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by ‘Abdul Malik Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Sufyan Ibn Al-‘Ala’ Ibn Jariyah
AthThaqafi, who reported from one of the scholars, that when Allah, the Almighty, willed to honor the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and to commence the Prophethood,
whenever he went out to answer the call of nature, he would go far away, until the houses were hidden from
his sight and he would proceed to the ravines of Makkah and the bottoms of its valleys and whenever he
passed by a rock or a tree, it would say, “May Allah’s peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!” The
narrator said, “And he would look around him, to the right and to the left and behind him, but would see
nothing but trees and rocks. He continued to see and hear for as long as Allah, the Almighty, willed, then

38
Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him with the Revelation with which Allah, the Almighty, had honored
him while he was in Hira’, in the month of Ramadan.”

Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by Wahb Ibn Kaisan, the freed slave of the family of Az-Zubair: “I heard
‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, say to ‘Ubaid Ibn ‘Umair Ibn Qatadah AlLaithi,
'O ‘Ubaid! Tell us show Prophethood began for the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) when Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him.' He (Wahb) said, ‘ ‘Ubaid said to ‘Abdullah
Ibn Az-Zubair and those people who were with him, while I was present, The Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to remain in Hira’ for one month of every year, performing
Tahannuth and this was something held to be obligatory by Quraish in the Jahiliyyah. Tahannuth means to
perform acts of devotion and piety and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)
used to spend that month every year in feeding the poor and needy who came to him. When he finished his
sojourn in that month, the first thing that he would do was to go to the Ka‘bah before entering his house
and he would circumambulate it seven times or as many as Allah, the Almighty, willed. Then he would
return to his house and he continued this practice until the year when Allah, the Almighty, willed to ennoble
him by bestowing Prophethood on him.

That month was the month of Ramadan, when he set out for Hira’, just as he did every year. His family was
with him until the night when Allah, the Almighty, ennobled him with the Message and bestowed Mercy
on the slaves through him. Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to him with the Commandment of Allah, the
Almighty. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) came to me while I was sleeping, with a rug of silk brocade on which there
was writing, and he said: 'Read!' I asked: 'What shall I read?' Then he pressed me until I felt that I was
dying, then he released me. He said again: 'Read!' And I said: 'What shall I read?' Then he pressed me until
I felt that I was dying, then he released me. He said again: 'Read!' I said: 'What shall I read?' I only said this
because I feared that he would do the same thing to me again. Then he said: 'Read in the name of your Lord,
who has created (all that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.
Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught the manurial which he know not'." (Soorah Al-‘Alaq
96:1-5).”

He said: “So I recited it and then he desisted and left me and I got up from my bed and it was as if he had
written something in my heart.”

He added: “Then I departed and when I was halfway down the mountain, I heard a voice from the sky
saying, 'O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibraeel'.”

The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I raised my head to the sky to look and I
saw Jibraeel in the form of a man whose feet were on the horizon. He said: 'O Muhammad! You are the
Messenger of Allah and I am Jibraeel.' I stopped and looked at him. His sight distracted my attention from
what I had intended to do. I stood in my place transfixed. I tried to shift my eyes away from him, but he
was in every direction I looked at. I stopped in my place without any movement until Khadeejah sent
someone to look for me. He went down to Makkah and came back while I was standing in the same place.
Jibraeel then departed and I went back home.

I found Khadeejah at home, so I sat very close to her. She said, 'O Abul-Qasim! Where have you been? I
sent someone to look for you. He went to Makkah and returned to me.' I told her of what I had seen. She
replied, 'Be of good cheer, O my cousin and be strong. For by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that
you will be a Prophet for this nation'.”

Then she stood up and went to Waraqah and informed him. Waraqah said, “By Him in Whose Hand is the
soul of Waraqah, if you have told me the truth, O Khadeejah, he has received the same great Namoos who
was sent to Moosa. He is the Prophet of this nation. Tell him to be strong.”

39
She returned to him and told him of Waraqah’s words. When the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) finished his sojourn and had done what he always did: he began by circumambulating
the Ka‘bah, where he was met by Waraqah, who was also circumambulating the Ka‘bah, and he said to
him, “O my nephew! Inform me of what you saw and heard.” So the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) did so and he said, “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you are the Prophet of this nation
and you have received the same great Namoos who was sent to Moosa. And they will certainly belie you,
harm you, expel you and fight you. If I live to see that day, I would certainly help in Allah’s Cause to the
utmost of my ability.” Then he lowered his head to him and kissed the crown of his head. Then the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) departed and returned to his house.”

Imam Muslim narrated in his Saheeh on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him,
that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I know a rock in Makkah
that used to give salutations of peace to me before I was sent (as a Messenger); I know it even now.”

Al-Bukhari said in the narration which we mentioned earlier, “…and the Divine Inspiration was also paused
for a while; and the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) became so sad, as we have heard,
that he intended several times to throw himself from the top of high mountains and every time he went up
the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Jibraeel (Peace be upon him) would appear before
him and say, “O Muhammad! You are indeed the Messenger of Allah in truth,” whereupon his heart would
become quiet and he would calm down and return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the
Inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he reached the top of a mountain, Jibraeel
(Peace be upon him) would appear before him and say to him what he had said before.”

And it was reported in the Saheehain on the authority of Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah that he said, “I heard the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) describe the period of pause of the Divine
Inspiration, and in his description he said: 'While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up
toward the sky, and behold! I saw the same angel who came to me in the Cave of Hira’, sitting on a chair
between the sky and the Earth. I was so terrified by him that I fell down on the ground. Then I went to my
wife and said: 'Wrap me in garments! Wrap me in garments!' They wrapped me, and then Allah revealed:
'O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your
garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!' (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1-5). After that, the
Divine Inspiration started coming more frequently and regularly.”

So this was the first thing revealed from the Qur’an after the pause in Revelation, not the very first thing to
be revealed from the Qur’an; that was: "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)
" (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1). And it has been confirmed on the authority of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with
him, that the first thing revealed was: "O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!" (Soorah Al-
Muddaththir 74:1). And what is most befitting is to understand his words in the light of what we have said,
because in the context of his words is that which indicates that when the angel came to him on the second
occasion, he recognized him due to him being in the same form as when he saw him on the first occasion.
And his saying: “…describing the period of pause of the Divine Inspiration,” is a proof that Inspiration had
come to him before this Revelation.

It has been confirmed in the Saheehain – by Al-Bukhari, on the authority of ‘Ali Ibn Al-Mubarak and by
Muslim and Al-Awza‘i, on the authority of Yahya Ibn Abi Katheer – that he said, “I asked Abu Salamah
Ibn ‘Abdur Rahman what part of the Qur’an was revealed first, and he said, "O you (Muhammad),
enveloped (in garments)!" (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1).” I said, “What about: Read! In the Name of your
Lord, Who has created (all that exists)" (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1) He replied, “I asked Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah,
'which part of the Qur’an was revealed first?' And he said, 'O you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)!'
(Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1) I asked, what about: 'Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all
that exists)'." (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1) he said, 'The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) said: I stayed in Hira’ for one month and when my sojourn was completed, I came down and
went into the heart of the valley. Somebody called me aloud. I looked in front of me, from behind me, on
the right of my side and on my left, but I did not see anybody. I was again called and I looked about but
saw nothing. I was called again and raised my head, and there he was, on a throne, in the air. He, i.e. Jibraeel
40
was sitting. I began to tremble on account of fear. I came to Khadeejah and said, wrap me up. They wrapped
me up and threw water on me and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, sent down this: Then, O, you
(Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! ) – up to His Words: And your garments purify ) (Soorah Al-
Muddaththir 74:1-4) was revealed.”

In another narration he said: “The angel who came to me in Hira’ was sitting on a throne between the heaven
and the Earth and I was terrified of him.”

This is a clear proof that the angel had already come to him and brought down Revelation to him from
Allah, the Almighty. And Allah knows best. Some claim that the first thing revealed to him after the pause
in Revelation was: "By the forenoon (after sunrise); and by the night when it is still (or darkens); your Lord
(O, Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hated you" (Soorah Ad-Duha 93:1-3) – up to the end of the
Soorah. This was the opinion of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq.

Some say that this is why the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) made Takbeer
at the beginning of it, due to his happiness and this is a very strange opinion that is rejected by the authentic
narration of a Companion which we have already mentioned. This narration states that the first thing from
the Qur’an to be revealed after the pause in Revelation was: "O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in
garments)! Arise and warn!" (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:1,2), but Soorah Ad-Duha was revealed after
another pause, which lasted for a few nights, as confirmed in the Saheehain and other collections of
Ahadeeth, on the authority of Al-Aswad Ibn Qais, who reported on the authority of Jundub Ibn ‘Abdullah
Al-Bajali that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) fell ill and did
not offer the prayers for one, two or three nights and a woman (the wife of Abu Lahab) came to him and
said, “O, Muhammad! I do not see but that your devil has left you.” Then Allah, the Almighty, revealed:
"By the forenoon (after sunrise); and by the night when it is still (or darkens); your Lord (O, Muhammad)
has neither forsaken you nor hated you." (Soorah Ad-Duha 93:1-3)

In this way, the aim of sending of the Message to the people was achieved and before it began the
Prophethood. Some say that the period of the pause was around two and a half years. And it would appear
– and Allah knows best – that it was the period when Mika’el (Michael) was associated with him, as
AshSha‘bi and others said. And this does not contradict the fact that Jibraeel brought to him first: "Read!
In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)." (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:1). Then Jibraeel became
associated with him after the revelation of: "O, you (Muhammad), enveloped (in garments)! And your Lord
(Allah) magnify! And your garments purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!" (Soorah
AlMuddaththir 74:1-5)

Then the Revelation increased in frequency after that and continued without interruption; and then the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) began to disseminate the Message in the
most complete manner, exerting himself to the utmost in calling upon all of mankind – including his close
kith and kin and those more distant from him, the slaves and freemen. All those of understanding and those
of superior character believed, while all those who were stubborn oppressors continued to disobey him and
oppose him. The first of the freemen to hasten to affirm his belief was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq. The first of the
young boys was ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib; the first of the women to embrace Islam was Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid,
the wife of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him); and the first of the freed slaves to
embrace Islam was his freed slave, Zaid Ibn Harithah Al-Kalbi – may Allah be pleased with all of them and
may He please them. We have already spoken about the faith of Waraqah Ibn Nawfal because of the
Revelation imparted to him; but he died during the pause in Revelation, may Allah be pleased with him.

Section Regarding the Prevention of the Jinn and the Repelling of the
Shayatin (devils) from Eavesdropping When the Qur’an Was Revealed
It was from the Mercy of Allah, the Almighty, His Grace and His Kindness toward His creation that he
screened them from the heavens, as He, Most High, says regarding them in His Words: “And we have
sought to reach the heavens; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. And, verily, we used to
sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but anyone who listens now will find a flaming fire waiting for him
41
in ambush. And we know not whether evil is intended for those on Earth, or whether their Lord intends for
them a Right Path." (Soorah Al-Jinn 72:8-10).

And He, Most High, says, "And it is not the Shayatin (devils) who have brought it (this Qur’an) down.
Neither would it suit them, nor can they (produce it). Verily, they have been removed far from hearing it."
(Soorah Ash-Shu‘ara’ 26:110-112)

And Abu ‘Awanah reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that
he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) set out along with a group
of his companions toward ‘Ukaz Market. At that time something intervened between the devils and the
news of the heavens, and flames were sent down upon them, so the devils returned. Their fellow devils said,
'What is wrong with you?' They said, 'Something has intervened between us and the news of the heavens,
and fires (flames) have been shot at us.' Their fellow devils said, 'Nothing has intervened between you and
the news of the heavens, but an important event has happened. Therefore, travel all over the world, East
and West, and try to find out what has happened.' And so they set out and traveled all over the world, East
and West, looking for that thing which had intervened between them and the news of the heavens.

Those of the devils who had set out toward Tihamah, went to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) at Nakhlah (a place between Makkah and Ta’if) while he was on his way to ‘Ukaz
Market. (They encountered him) while he was offering the Fajr (Dawn) prayer with his Companions. When
they heard the Holy Qur’an being recited (by the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him)), they listened to it and said (to each other), 'This is the thing which has intervened between you and
the news of the heavens.' Then they returned to their people and said, 'O our people! We have really heard
a wonderful recital (the Qur’an). It gives guidance to the right, and we have believed therein. We shall not
join in worship anybody with our Lord'.” (Soorah Al-Jinn 72.1-2)

Then Allah, the Almighty, revealed to His Prophet (Soorah Al-Jinn): "Say (O, Muhammad), 'It has been
revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of Jinn listened (to this Qur’an)." (Soorah AlJinn
72:1). This was narrated in the Saheehain.

Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaibah reported on the authority of Sa‘eed Ibn Jubair, who reported on the authority of
‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “Every tribe of the Jinn had listening posts and when any Revelation
was sent down, the angels would hear a sound like a piece of iron striking a smooth stone.” He added,
“Whenever the angels heard it, they would fall down in prostration and they would not raise their heads
until it had come down; then, when it had come down, they would say to one another, “What did your Lord
say?” And if it was something pertaining to the heavens, they would say, “The truth; and He is the Most
High, the Great.” But if it was something pertaining to the Earth, whether regarding the unseen, or a death
or something else concerning the Earth, they would speak about it and say, “It is such-andsuch.” The Jinn
would hear this and convey it to their clients (the soothsayers, fortunetellers, etc.).

But when the revelation was sent to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), they
were dispersed by having meteorites hurled at them. The first people to notice them were Thaqeef. An
owner of sheep among them would go out to his sheep and each day he would sacrifice a sheep, while an
owner of camels would sacrifice a camel each day. And the people hastened to spend their money. But
some of them said to the others, “Do not do this, for either they are the stars by which people are guided or
else something has happened." So they looked and saw that the stars by which they were guided were
unchanged. Hence, they desisted, and Allah, the Almighty, turned away the Jinn; and then they heard the
Qur’an. When they came to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and heard him reciting,
they said, “Listen.” Then the devils went to Iblees and informed him about it and he said, “This is an event
which has occurred on Earth, so bring me some dust from every part of the Earth.” They did so and when
they brought him the earth of Tihamah, he said, “Here is where the event occurred.”

Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “The lowest
heaven was not guarded during the period between ‘Eesa and Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of
Allah be upon them both).” But it is likely that what is meant by those who rejected that, is that it was not

42
strictly guarded. And it must be understood in this way because of what has been confirmed in the Hadith
on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, who said, “While the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) was sitting with some of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, a star
(i.e., a meteorite) was hurled and it illuminated the sky, upon which he said: “What did you used to say
when the like of this was hurled?” They said, “We used to say, 'Some great person has died, ‘ or, 'Some
great person has been born.' He said: 'No, but'…” and he mentioned the Hadith, as we said earlier.

Section Regarding How the Revelation Came to the Messenger of Allah

It was reported on the authority of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that Al-Harith Ibn Hisham
asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah! How
does the Revelation come to you?” He said: “Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell; this form
of Inspiration is the hardest of all and then this state passes off after I have grasped what is inspired.
Sometimes the angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says.” ‘A’ishah,
may Allah be pleased with her, added, “Verily, I saw the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) being inspired Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the sweat dripping from his forehead (as the
Inspiration ended).” This was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in the Saheehain from the Hadith of
Malik.

And in Saheeh Muslim and other collections of Ahadeeth it was reported on the authority of Al-Hasan, who
reported on the authority of Hittan Ibn ‘Abdullah Ar-Raqashi, who in turn reported on the authority of
‘Ubadah Ibn As-Samit, may Allah be pleased with them, that he said, “When Revelation came down to the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), it was burdensome to him and his face
would take on a dark red expression.” And in another narration, “...his eyes became dark and we recognized
that from him.”

And in the Saheehain is the Hadith of Zaid Ibn Thabit (May Allah be pleased with him), who said that when
"Not equal are those of the Believers who sit (at home)" (Soorah An-Nisa’ 4:95) was revealed, Ibn Umm
Maktoom (May Allah be pleased with him) complained of his blindness, following which "…except those
who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame, etc.) was revealed (Soorah An-Nisa’ 4:95) and, “the thigh
of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was against my thigh and I was
writing, but when the Revelation came down, his thigh almost broke my thigh.”

And in Saheeh Muslim, it was reported on the authority of Ya‘la Ibn Umayyah, may Allah be pleased with
him, that he said, “ ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said to me, ‘Would it please you to see the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) when Revelation is descending on him'?
Then he lifted a corner of the cloth and the Revelation was descending upon him at Al-Ji‘ranah; I saw that
his face was red and he was snorting like a camel.”

And it was confirmed in the Saheehain in the Hadith of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that
Sawdah, may Allah be pleased with her, the wife of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings on Allah be upon
him) went out to answer the call of nature after it was made obligatory (for all the Muslim women) to
observe the veil. She was a large, overweight lady, and everybody who knew her before could recognize
her. So ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) saw her and said, “O Sawdah! By Allah,
you cannot hide yourself from us, so think of a way by which you should not be recognized on going out.”
Sawdah, may Allah be pleased with her, returned while the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) was in my house taking his supper and a bone covered with meat was in his hand. She
entered and said, “O, Messenger of Allah! I went out to answer the call of nature and ‘Umar said to me
such-and-such.” Then Allah, the Almighty, inspired him (the Prophet) and when the state of Inspiration was
over – and the bone was still in his hand, as he had not put in down – he said (to Sawdah, may Allah be
pleased with her): “You (women) have been allowed to go out for your needs.” This proves that the
Revelation did not cause him to completely lose his senses, because he was sitting and also, the bone did
not fall from his hand – may Allah’s Blessings and Peace be upon him in perpetuity.

43
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Asma’ Bint Yazeed, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said,
“I was holding the reins of Al-‘Adba’, the she-camel of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) when the whole of Soorah Al-Ma’idah was revealed to him. Due to the burden of it on
him, the upper leg of the she-camel was bruised.”

It has also been confirmed in the Saheehain that the sending down of Soorah Al-Fat'h to the Messenger of
Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) occurred when he was returning from Al-Hudaybiyyah,
while he was on his riding beast and it came down to him little by little, according to the circumstances.
And Allah (SWT) knows best.

Allah, Most High, says, "Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’an, O, Muhammad) to make haste
therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you (O, Muhammad) the ability to recite it (the Qur’an), And
when We have recited it to you (O, Muhammad, through Jibraeel), then follow you its (the Qur’an’s) recital.
Then it is for Us (Allah) to make it clear to you." (Soorah Al-Qiyamah 75:16-19)

Then High above all be Allah, the True King, said: "And be not in haste (O, Muhammad) with the Qur’an
before its revelation is completed to you, and say, 'My Lord! Increase me in knowledge'.” (Soorah Ta Ha
20:114).

This was at the beginning, when the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used
to take great pains to memorize the Revelation brought to him by Jibraeel from Allah, the Almighty, the
All-Powerful, by reciting it rapidly, in order to keep pace with the angel’s recitation. So Allah, Most High,
commanded him to listen to the angel until he had completed the Revelation. And He guaranteed for him
that He would preserve it in his heart and make it easy for him to recite and convey (to others) and that He
would make clear its meanings to him. This is why He, Most High, says, "And be not in haste (O,
Muhammad) with the Qur’an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, 'My Lord! Increase me in
knowledge'." (Soorah Ta Ha 20:114).

And He says, "Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it" (Soorah AlQiyamah
75:16-17) means in your heart, "…and to give you (O, Muhammad) the ability to recite it (the Qur’an)"
(Soorah Al-Qiyamah 75:17) means the angel recites it to you, that you may recite it, "…then follow you its
(the Qur’an’s) recital." (Soorah Al-Qiyamah 75:18). It means to listen to it and reflect on it. "Then it is for
Us (Allah) to make it clear to you." (Soorah Al-Qiyamah 75:19). This is the same as His Saying: "…and
say, “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”(Soorah Ta Ha 20:114)

And in the Saheehain it was reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with
him, that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to bear the
Revelation with great trouble and used to move his lips (quickly) with the Inspiration.” Ibn ‘Abbas moved
his lips saying, “I am moving my lips in front of you as the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) used to move his.” Sa‘eed moved his lips saying, “I am moving my lips, as I saw Ibn
‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) moving his.” Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) added,
“So Allah, the Almighty, revealed, "Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it
and to give you (O, Muhammad) the ability to recite it (the Qur’an)." (Soorah AlQiyamah 75:16, 17) which
means that Allah, the Almighty, will make him (the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him))
remember the portion of the Qur’an which was revealed at that time by heart and recite it.

The Statement of Allah, the Almighty: "And when We have recited it to you (O, Muhammad, through
Jibraeel), then follow you its..." (the Qur’an’s) recital means listen to it and be silent. "Then it is for Us
(Allah) to make it clear to you" (Soorah Al-Qiyamah 75:19) means "then it is (for Allah, the Almighty,) to
make you recite it (and its meaning will be clear by itself through your tongue)." Whenever Jibraeel came,
the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to lower his head to his chest and
listen in silence to him and after his departure he would recite it just as Allah, the Almighty, the All-
Powerful had promised him.

44
Ibn Ishaq said, “Then the Revelation to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)
continued and he believed in what came to him. He accepted it completely and he conveyed it to the slaves,
regardless of whether it pleased them or displeased them; and Prophethood entails heavy burdens which
none can bear and none can understand except those Messengers who are strong and determined, whom
Allah, the Almighty, helps and to whom He grants success, because of what they encounter from their
people and the rejection of the Message they bring from Allah, the Almighty, to which they are subjected.
The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) continued to do what Allah, the
Almighty, had commanded him to do, in spite of the opposition and harm he encountered from his people.”

Ibn Ishaq said, “Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid, may Allah be pleased with her, had faith and believed in what
he brought from Allah, the Almighty, and she supported him in the propagation of the Religion. She was
the first person to believe in Allah, the Almighty, and His Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) and in the Message that he brought from Allah, the Almighty. In this way, Allah, the Almighty, made
things easier for His Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him): whenever he heard something
that he disliked from those who opposed him or they belied him, it would make him feel sad, and Allah, the
Almighty, would grant him solace through her when he returned to her, for she would strengthen his resolve
and lighten the burden for him by her belief in him, and her minimizing of the enmity and opposition shown
to him by the people. May Allah be pleased with her.”

Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by Hisham Ibn ‘Urwah, who reported on the authority of his father, who in turn
reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Talib that he said, “The Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'I was commanded to give Khadeejah the glad tidings of
a house made of pearl in which there is no noise or clamor and no fatigue'.” And this Hadith has been
reported in the Saheehain. Ibn Hisham said, “Qasab (the word used in the Hadith) here means ‘hollowed-
out pearl’.”

Section Regarding the First People to Embrace Islam, Then Mention of the
Earliest Companions to Embrace Islam
Ibn Ishaq said, “Then ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) came a day after that and found
them both praying. On seeing them, ‘Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) said, 'O Muhammad! What is
this?' He replied: 'It is the religion of Allah, which He Himself has chosen and with which He sent His
Messengers. So I call you to Allah, Alone, Who has no partners and (I call upon you) to worship Him and
to reject Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza.' ‘Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, 'This is something of which I
had not heard before today, so I cannot judge in the matter until I have consulted Abu Talib with regard to
it.' The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) disliked to divulge his secret to
him before his affair was made known, so he said to him: 'O ‘Ali! If you will not embrace Islam, then be
silent.' So ‘Ali stayed that night and then Allah, the Almighty, placed submission (i.e., Islam) in his heart,
and in the morning, he came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and
said, 'What do you propose that I do, O, Muhammad?' The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) said: 'Bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, Alone, without partners,
reject Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza and absolve yourself of (belief in) the (false) partners.' ‘Ali (May Allah be
pleased with him) did so and became a Muslim and he continued to come to him, though fearful of Abu
Talib. He concealed his Islam and did not disclose it to anyone. Zaid Ibn Harithah (May Allah be pleased
with him) also embraced Islam and they continued for about a month to conceal their Islam, with ‘Ali, may
Allah be pleased with him, coming frequently to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) during that time. Among the blessings that Allah, the Almighty, bestowed on ‘Ali was that he
used to be in the abode of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) before Islam.”

And it was reported on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq that ‘Afeef said, “I was a merchant and I
arrived in Mina during the Hajj period. Al-‘Abbas Ibn ‘Abdil Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him, was
also a merchant and so I went to him to trade with him. While we were thus engaged, a man came out from
a hair tent and stood and prayed toward the Ka‘bah. Then a woman came out and stood and prayed and a
young boy came out and prayed with him. I said, “O ‘Abbas! What is this religion? We do not know what

45
this religion is.” Al-‘Abbas replied, “This is Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him). He claims that Allah, the Almighty, has sent him and that the treasures of Kisra and Qaisar will
be given to him. The woman is his wife, Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid, may Allah be pleased with her, and
she has believed in him. This boy is his cousin, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib, who has also believed in him.” ‘Afeef
said, “Would that I had embraced Islam on that day, in order that I might have been the second (man) to
embrace Islam!” Ibrahim Ibn Sa‘d said in his version of the Hadith, which he narrated on the authority of
Ibn Ishaq “…when a man came out of a hair tent near to him and he looked up to the heaven; and when he
saw that the sun had passed its zenith, he prayed.” Then he mentioned that Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased
with her, stood up to pray behind him.

Ibn Jareer said, “I was told by ‘Eesa Ibn Sawadah Ibn Abul- Ja‘d, that he was told by Muhammad Ibn
AlMunkadir, Rabee‘ah Ibn Abu-‘Abdur Rahman and Abu Hazim Al-Kalbi, “‘Ali was the first to embrace
Islam.” Al-Kalbi added, “He embraced Islam when he was nine years old.” And it was reported on the
authority of Ibn Ishaq that he said, “The first male to have faith in the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him), pray with him and believe him was ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib, and that was when
he was ten years old. He used to live in the house of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) before Islam.”

Others said that the first person from this nation to embrace Islam was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be
pleased with him. It is possible to reconcile these statements by saying that Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased
with her, was the first woman to embrace Islam, according to the clear wording of the narrations. It was
also said that she was the very first person, male or female, to embrace Islam. The first of the freed slaves
to embrace Islam was Zaid Ibn Harithah and the first young boy to embrace Islam was ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib,
for he was a child, having not yet attained puberty, according to what is widely reported. These people were
thus Ahl ul-Bait. The first of the freemen to embrace Islam was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq – and his Islam was
more beneficial than that of those who had preceded him, for he was a leader among the people, an important
man and one of the chiefs of Quraish; he was held in high esteem and was a wealthy man. He became a
caller to Islam and he was greatly loved due to his spending of his wealth in obedience to Allah, the
Almighty, and His Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), as we shall see.

Ibn Ishaq said, “I was told by Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdur Rahman Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Al-Husain At-Tameemi
that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I did not call anyone to
Islam except that he had some uncertainty and doubt – aside from Abu Bakr. He did not waver or hesitate
when I told him about it (Islam).” This is what Ibn Ishaq reported, but it can neither be confirmed nor
rejected. Ibn Ishaq and others mentioned that he was a companion of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) prior to the start of his mission and that he knew how truthful and
trustworthy he was and how fine and noble his character was. These attributes prevented him from being
untruthful regarding people, so how could he be untruthful regarding Allah, the Almighty? For this reason,
simply because of what was mentioned to him, he hastened to believe him and he did not hesitate or waver.

And it has been confirmed in Saheeh Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Ad-Darda’, may Allah be pleased
with him, regarding a disagreement between Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and ‘Umar, may
Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Allah sent me (as a Prophet) to you (people) but you said (to me), 'You are telling a lie, ‘ while Abu Bakr
said, 'He has said the truth, ‘ and consoled me with himself and his money.” He then said twice: 'Will you
not then give up harming my companion?' After that nobody harmed Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with
him,.”

And in Saheeh Al-Bukhari it was reported on the authority of ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased
with him, that he said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and there
was none with him but five slaves, two women and Abu Bakr (i.e. those were the only converts to Islam
then).”

And it is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said,
“The first to reveal that they had embraced Islam were seven: the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
46
of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr, ‘Ammar, his mother, Sumayyah, Suhaib, Bilal and AlMiqdad. As for the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), Allah, the Almighty, protected him
through his uncle, while as for Abu Bakr, Allah, the Almighty, protected him through his people. As for the
rest of them, the pagans took them and forced them to wear iron jackets and made them lie under the sun,
but there was not a single one of them but submitted to do what they wanted them to do, aside from Bilal,
who refused. And so, they took him and gave him to the children who ran through the alleyways of Makkah
with him, while he was saying, '(Allah is) One, One'.”

Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy upon him, reconciled these opinions by saying that the first person to
embrace Islam from among the freemen was Abu Bakr; from among the women, it was Khadeejah; from
among the freed slaves, it was Zaid Ibn Harithah; and from among the young boys, it was ‘Ali Ibn Abi
Talib, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said, “When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam and
disclosed his Islam, he called upon the people to Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Abu Bakr, may
Allah be pleased with him, was well-known to his people, approachable and loved by them. He knew more
about the good and bad of Quraish than any other person. He was a merchant of high moral character and
renowned for his kindness. His people used to come to him and discuss many things with him, because of
his knowledge, his experience as a merchant and his sociable nature. He began by calling to Islam those
among his people whom he trusted, who used to visit him and sit with him. Those who accepted Islam at
his hands, according to what has been conveyed to me were: Az-Zubair Ibn Al‘Awwam, ‘Uthman Ibn
‘Affan, Talhah Ibn ‘Ubaidullah, Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas and ‘Abdur-Rahman Ibn ‘Awf, may Allah be pleased
with them all.

They hastened with Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) and he explained Islam to them, reciting the Qur’an to them and informing
them of the truth of Islam, upon which they believed. These eight individuals were the earliest converts to
Islam, who believed the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and believed in
the Message he brought from Allah.”

The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) asked Allah, the Almighty, to guide
either ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, or Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham to Islam. The
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) supplicated Allah, the Almighty, on a
Wednesday and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam on Thursday, on which the Prophet
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and Ahl ul-Bait openly and loudly recited, “Allahu
Akbar (Allah is Greatest)!” It was said that their voices were heard in the heights of Makkah. Abul-
Arqam – who was a blind disbeliever – came out and he was saying, “O Allah! Forgive Banu ‘Ubaid
AlArqam, for they have disbelieved.” ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, then got up and said, “O
Messenger of Allah! Why do we conceal our religion, when we are following the Truth, while they practice
their religion openly, and they are following that which is false?” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him) replied: “O ‘Umar! We are few, and you have seen what we have encountered.” ‘Umar,
may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Then by Him Who sent you with the Truth, I will go to every meeting
place where I sat when I was a disbeliever and I will proclaim my faith in them.”

Then he left and circumambulated the Ka‘bah, after which he visited Quraish, who were waiting for him,
and Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham said, “So-and-so claims that you have abandoned your religion!” ‘Umar, may
Allah be pleased with him, said, “Ash-hadu an-la ilaha ill-Allahu Wahdahu la Shareeka Lahu wa anna
Muhammadan ‘Abduhu wa Rasooluhu (I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, Alone,
without partners and that Muhammad is His Slave and His Messenger).” Upon hearing this, the pagans
rushed upon him; in response, he pounced on ‘Utbah and poked his fingers in his eyes, causing him to
scream. The people then stayed back and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, got up and departed and
none dared to approach him.

He then visited all of the meeting places that he had formerly frequented as a disbeliever and informed them
that he had embraced Islam. Then he went to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and
47
said, “May my mother and father be ransomed for you, I have not neglected a single meeting place in which
I used to sit when I was a disbeliever; I have been to them all and proclaimed my Islam to them, without
fear or hesitation.” Then the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) went out and
‘Umar and Hamzah Ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with them both, walked in front of him
until they reached the Holy House, where he performed Tawaf and then offered the Dhuhr (afternoon)
prayer in safety. Then he went to the house known as Dar Al-Arqam accompanied by ‘Umar, may Allah be
pleased with him,. After a while, ‘Umar departed and later, the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him) departed alone.

It has been authentically reported that ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, only embraced Islam after
the Muhajiroon (emigrants) had departed for Abyssinia, which was in the sixth year after the start of the
Prophetic Mission, as we shall show in the relevant place, if Allah wills. We have dealt in more detail with
the story of how Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, embraced Islam in the book dealing
with their biographies and we have spoken at great length there on this topic, all praise and thanks be to
Allah, the Almighty.

It has been confirmed in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of ‘Amr Ibn ‘Abasah As-Sulami, may Allah be
pleased with him, that he said, “I went to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) at the start of his Prophetic Mission when he was in Makkah. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) was at that time hiding as his people had made life hard for him. I adopted
a friendly attitude (toward the Makkans and thus managed) to enter Makkah and go to him (the Prophet
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)) and I said to him, "What are you?” He said: “I am a Prophet
(of Allah).” I again said, “What is a Prophet?” He said: “A Messenger of Allah.” I said, “Has Allah, the
Almighty, sent you?” He replied: “Yes.” I then asked him, “With what (Message) have you been sent?” He
said: “That you worship Allah, Alone, without partners, that you break the idols and join ties of kinship.” I
said, "This is a fine thing with which you have been sent! Who is with you in this (in these beliefs and
practices)?” He said: “A free man and a slave. [He (the narrator) said, “He was referring to Abu Bakr and
Bilal, may Allah be pleased with them both.]” ‘Amr then said, “You have seen me and I am one-fourth of
Islam.” He said, “Then I embraced Islam and I said, 'I intend to follow you.' But he (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) said: “No. You better go back to your people and when you are informed that I have
departed, you may follow me.”

And in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, it was reported on the authority of Sa‘eed Ibn Al-Musayyib that he said, “I heard
Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, say, “No one embraced Islam on the day on which
I embraced Islam and I remained for seven days, being one-third of the then extant Muslims.”

As for his saying: “No one embraced Islam on the day on which I embraced Islam…” it is easily understood.
But it was also narrated that he said, “…except on the day on which I embraced Islam.” And this is dubious;
for it would necessitate that no one embraced Islam before him. But it is well-known that As-Siddiq, ‘Ali,
Khadeejah and Zaid Ibn Harithah, may Allah be pleased with them all, embraced Islam before him,
according to the consensus of the scholars, who affirmed that no one embraced Islam before these four.
Those scholars included: Ibn Al-Katheer and Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy upon them, determined
that these four embraced Islam before any of their fellow tribesmen. And Allah knows best.

As for his saying, “…and I remained for seven days, being one third of the then extant Muslims,” it is also
problematic; and I do not know how it may be explained, unless he was speaking according to his
knowledge. And Allah knows best.

And Abu Dawood At-Taialisi narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah (i.e. Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be
pleased with him) that he said, “I was an adolescent boy and I used to tend sheep for ‘'Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu‘ait
in Makkah. One day, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and Abu Bakr,
may Allah be pleased with him, came to me, having fled from the pagans and he (or they) said, 'O boy! Do
you have any milk that you can give us to drink?' I said, 'I am entrusted with the cattle and I cannot give
you anything to drink.' He then asked, 'Then do you have a young ewe that has not yet been mated with a
male?' I said, 'Yes.' Then I brought it to them and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, hobbled it and
48
the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) took hold of its udder and supplicated
Allah, the Almighty, upon which its udder became filled with milk. Then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased
with him, came to him with a hollowed out rock and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah
be upon him) milked the udder into it and then he and Abu Bakr drank from it. After that, they gave me to
drink from it and then he said to the udder: 'Contract!' Upon which it contracted. Later, I went to the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and said to him, 'Teach me this fine speech
(i.e. the Qur’an).' He said: 'You are a boy who has been taught.' And I took from his lips seventy Soorahs
(Chapters) in which no one can contend with me.”

Al-Baihaqi said, “It was reported on the authority of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn ‘Uthman that
he said, “Khalid Ibn Sa‘eed Ibn Al-‘As embraced Islam in early stages, and he was the first of his brothers
to do so. The start of his Islam was when he saw in a dream that he was being held at the edge of the Fire
and he described its vastness in a manner about which Allah knows best. He saw in his dream that someone
came to him and he was pushing him into it and he also saw the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) holding him by his hips in order to prevent him from falling into it. He awoke in a
state of alarm from his sleep and said, 'I swear by Allah that this vision is true.' Then he met Abu Bakr, may
Allah be pleased with him, and he related to him what he had seen. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with
him, said to him, 'I want that you should have the goodness of this Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him), so obey him; for you will follow him and enter Islam with him, and Islam will
protect you from entering it (the Fire), while your father will fall into it.' So he met the Messenger of Allah
(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) while he was at Ajyad and said to him, 'O Messenger of Allah!
O, Muhammad! To what do you call?' He said: 'I call you to (believe in) Allah, Alone, without partners and
that Muhammad is His Slave and His Messenger, and to abandon the worship of stones that you practice –
stones that do not hear, do not harm, do not see, do not benefit and are unaware of who worships them or
does not worship them.' Khalid said, 'Then I bear witness that none is worthy of worship and that you are
the Messenger of Allah.' May Allah be pleased with him.

The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was pleased with his conversion to
Islam. Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, stayed away from home and his father came to know that he
had embraced Islam; he sent someone to search for him and he brought him to him. His father rebuked him
and beat him with a piece of wood that he held in his hand until he broke it on his head. He said, 'By
Allah, I will starve you.' Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, 'Even if you prevent me from
eating, Allah will give me what I need to live on.' Then he went to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) and he treated him hospitably and he remained with him.”

The Story of How Hamzah Ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib, the Paternal Uncle of the
Prophet, Embraced Islam
Yoonus Ibn Bukair narrated on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq that he said, “I was told by a man
from among those who had embraced Islam – and he had a reliable memory – that Abu Jahl accosted the
Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) at As-Safa and he injured him, reviled him
and maligned his religion. Hamzah Ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib was informed of this and so he went to Abu Jahl
and stood over his head, raised his bow and struck him with it, seriously wounding him. The men of Banu
Makhzoom, one of the tribes of Quraish, got up and advanced on Hamzah, intending to help Abu Jahl
against him. They said, 'We believe that you have apostatized, O, Hamzah!' Hamzah said, 'And who will
prevent me, when it has become clear to me? I bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) and that what he says is the Truth. And by Allah, I will not retract this, so
prevent me, if you are truthful.' Abu Jahl said, 'Leave Abu ‘Umarah, for by Allah, I did revile his nephew
shamefully.' Once Hamzah had embraced Islam, the Quraish realizsed that the Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) had grown stronger and they refrained from their persecution of him.
Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with him, recited some poetic verses in regard to this incident.”

49
50
 The Story of How Abu Dharr Embraced Islam
Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said,
“When news of the sending of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was
conveyed to Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, he said to his brother, “Ride to this valley and
bring me the news of this man (i.e., the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) who claims to
be a Prophet receiving information from the heavens. Listen to him and then come to me.” His brother set
out till he met the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and listened to his speech and
returned to Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, and said to him, “I have seen him exhorting people
to virtues and his speech was not like poetry.” Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “You have
not satisfied me as to what I wanted.”

So he packed some provisions for the journey and filled a water skin full of water, then he set out till he
reached Makkah, where he went to the Mosque looking for the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon him), whom he did not know and about whom he was unwilling to ask anyone. After a portion of the
night had passed, ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, saw him and realized that he was a stranger. Abu
Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, followed him (to his house), but neither of them asked the other
about anything till it was morning, when he carried his water skin and food and went to the Mosque. He
spent that day without being observed by the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) till it was
night, when he returned to his sleeping place.

‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, again passed by him and said, “Has not the man (i.e., Abu Dharr)
recognized his dwelling place yet?” So, ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, let him get up and took him
(to his house), but neither of them asked the other about anything, till it was the third day when ‘Ali, may
Allah be pleased with him, had the same experience with him and Abu Dharr again stayed with him. ‘Ali,
may Allah be pleased with him, then asked, “Will you not you tell me what has brought you here?” He
replied, “If you give me a promise and a covenant that you will guide me, then I will tell you.” When ‘Ali,
may Allah be pleased with him, had done so, Abu Dharr informed him (of his purpose). ‘Ali, may Allah be
pleased with him, said, “It is the Truth, and he (i.e. Muhammad) is the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him). So when the morning comes, follow me, and if I should perceive any
danger threatening you, I will give you a hint by pretending to go to the water closet. But if I carry on
walking, follow me till you enter the place that I will enter.” Abu Dharr agreed and followed ‘Ali, may
Allah be pleased with him, till he entered the place of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) and Abu Dharr entered with him. He then listened to the speech of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) and embraced Islam on the spot. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) said to him: “Go back to your people and inform them (of this religion) till you receive my (further)
orders.” Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, I will
proclaim my conversion to Islam publicly amongst them (i.e., the disbelievers).”

He went out till he reached the Mosque and announced as loudly as possible, “I testify that none has the
right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” The people then got up
and beat him till they knocked him down. Al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, came and threw
himself over him (to protect him), saying, “Woe to you! Don’t you know that he is from Ghifar and there
is the route (road) to your merchants toward Ash-Sham (i.e., through the place where this tribe dwells)?”
Thus he saved him from them. Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, did the same on the next day
and the people beat him again and Al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, threw himself over him (to
save him as before).” This is the wording of Al-Bukhari, but the story of how he embraced Islam has also
been described at length in Saheeh Muslim and in other sources.

The Story of How Dimad Embraced Islam

Imam Muslim narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “Dimad arrived in Makkah –
and he belonged to the tribe of Azd Shanoo‘ah and was skilled in exorcising Jinn from those who were
possessed. He heard the foolish people of Makkah saying that Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah
51
be upon him) was possessed. Upon this he said, “If 1 were to come across this man, Allah, the Almighty,
might cure him at my hand.” He met him and said, “O, Muhammad, I can exorcise, and Allah, the Almighty,
cures whomever He wills at my hand. Do you desire (this)?” Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Praise be to Allah, we praise Him, ask His Help; and he whom Allah
guides aright there is none to lead him astray, and he who is led astray there is none to guide him, and I bear
witness to the fact that none is worthy of worship but Allah, He is One, having no partner with Him, and
that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.”

After this, he (Dimad) said, “Repeat these words of yours before me,” and the Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) repeated them to him three times; and he said, “I have heard the words
of soothsayers and the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as
yours, and they reach the depths (of the ocean of eloquence); bring forth your hand so that I should take an
oath of fealty to you on Islam.” So he took an oath of allegiance to him.

The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Is it (this allegiance of yours)
on behalf of your people too?” He said, “It is on behalf of my people too.” The Messenger of Allah (Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him) sent an expedition and the flying column passed by his people. The
leader of the flying column said to the detachment, “Did you find anything from these people?” One of the
people said, “I found a utensil for water.” Upon this he (the commander) said, “Return it, for he is one of
the people of Dimad.”

Ibn Ishaq related the names of the earliest of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to embrace
Islam, saying, “Then Abu ‘Ubaidah, Abu Salmah Al-Arqam Ibn Abil Arqam, ‘Uthman Ibn Madh‘oon,
‘Ubaidah Ibn Al-Harith, Sa‘eed Ibn Zaid and his wife, Fatimah Bint Al-Khattab, Asma’ Bint Abu Bakr,
‘A’ishah Bint Abu Bakr, who was still young, Qudamah Ibn Maz‘oon, ‘Abdullah Ibn Maz‘oon, Khabbab
Ibn Al-Aratt, embraced Islam, ‘Umair Ibn Abi Waqqas, ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood, Mas‘ood Ibn Al-Qari,
Saleet Ibn ‘Amr, ‘Ayyash Ibn Abi Rabee‘ah and his wife, Asma’ Bint Salamah Ibn Makhramah At-Taimi,
Khunais Ibn Hudhafah, ‘Amir Ibn Rabee‘ah, ‘Abdullah Ibn Jahsh, Abu Ahmad Ibn Jahsh, Ja‘afar Ibn Abu
Talib and his wife, Asma’ Bint ‘Umais, Hatib Ibn Al-Harith, his wife, Fatimah Bint Al-Mujallal and his
brother, Hattab Ibn Al-Harith and his wife, Fukaihah Bint Yasar, Ma‘mar Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Ma‘mar Al-
Jumahi, As-Sa’ib Ibn ‘Uthman Ibn Maz‘oon, Al-Muttalib Ibn Azhar Ibn ‘Abd ‘Awf and his wife, Ramlah
Bint Abu ‘Awf Ibn Subairah Ibn Su‘aid Ibn Sa‘d Ibn Sahm, An-Nahham, whose name was Nu‘aim Ibn
‘Abdullah Ibn Aseed, ‘Amir Ibn Fuhairah, the freed slave of Abu Bakr, Khalid Ibn Sa‘eed, Umainah Bint
Khalaf Ibn As‘ad Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Bayadah from Khuza‘ah, Hatib Ibn ‘Amr Ibn ‘Abd Shams, Abu Hudhaifah
Ibn ‘Utbah Ibn Rabee‘ah, Waqid Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abd Manaf Ibn ‘Areen Ibn Tha‘labah At-Tameemi,
the ally of Banu ‘Adiyy, Khalid Ibn Al-Bukair, ‘Amir Ibn AlBukair, ‘Aqil Ibn Al-Bukair (his name was
Ghafil [unmindful] and so the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) named him
‘Aqil [discerning]), Iyas Ibn Al-Bukair Ibn ‘Abd Yaleel Ibn Nashib Ibn Ghiyarah Ibn Sa‘d Ibn Laith (they
were the allies of Banu ‘Adiyy Ibn Ka‘b), ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir and Suhaib Ibn Sinan. Then the people entered
Islam in groups, from among the men and women, until the religion of Islam became widespread in Makkah
and widely discussed.

Ibn Ishaq said, “Then three years after the start of his Prophethood, Allah, the Almighty, commanded His
Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to preach the message of Islam openly and to
patiently bear the harm inflicted on him by the pagans.” He added, “When the Companions, may Allah be
pleased with them, prayed, they would go to the ravines and offer their prayers in secret, hidden from their
people. One day, while Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, was praying with some
others in the ravines of Makkah, some of the pagans came upon them and rebuked and denounced what
they were doing, until eventually, they fought with them and Sa‘d, may Allah be pleased with him, struck
one of the pagans with the jawbone of a camel and fractured his skull. This was the first blood spilt (by the
Muslims) in Islam."

The command of Allah (SWT) to His Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) regarding the
conveyance of the message privately and publicly and His command to him to exercise patience,
perseverance and to turn away from the ignorant lying adversaries after establishing the proofs against them
52
and the sending of the greatest Messenger to them as well as a reminder of what he and his Companions
confronted of enmity.

Allah (SWT) says: “And warn your tribe (O, Muhammad) of near kindred. And be kind and humble to the
believers who follow you. Then if they disobey you, say: 'I am innocent of what you do.' And put your trust
in the Almighty, the Most Merciful, Who sees you (O, Muhammad) when you stand up (alone at night for
Tahajjud prayers). And your movements among those who fall in prostration (along with you to
Allah in the five compulsory congregational prayers), verily, He only He, is the All-Hearer, the AllKnower.”
(Ash-Shu‘ara' 26:214-220)

Allah, Most High, also says: “And verily, this (the Qur’an) is indeed a Reminder for you (O, Muhammad)
and your people (Quraish people, or your followers), and you will be questioned (about it).” (Az-Zukhruf
43:44)

Allah (SWT) says: “Verily, He Who has given you (O, Muhammad) the Qur’an (i.e. ordered you to act on
its laws and to preach it to others) will surely bring you back to the Ma‘ad (place of return, either to Makkah
or to Paradise after your death, etc.).” (Al-Qasas 28:85)

It means that the One Who ordained and enjoined you the conveyance of the message will return you to
Home of the Hereafter, which is the Ma‘ad, and then He will ask you regarding it (i.e. the conveyance of
the message).

Allah, Most High, says: “Then surely, We shall question those (people) to whom it (the Book) was sent and
verily, We shall question the Messengers.” (Al-A‘raf 7:6)

Verses and Ahadeeth regarding this issue are considerable. We have explored the issue in our book of
AtTafseer and therein we extensively discussed it while explaining the statement of Allah in Soorat
AshShu‘ara’:

“And warn your tribe (O, Muhammad) of near kindred.” (Ash-Shu‘ara’ 26:214)

And we cited copious Ahadeeth on that. From the Ahadeeth we cited is what is related by Imam Ahmad:
From Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “When the Verse: “And warn your tribe (O, Muhammad) of near kindred” was
revealed, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came to the Hill of Safa, climbed it and
then called out: “Ya Sabahahu!” The people gathered up to him. Those who could not come sent messengers
to find out what has happened. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then addressed
them thus:

“O Banu Abdul-Muttalib! O Banu Fihr! O Banu Ka‘b! What would you say if I told you that there is a band
of horsemen in the valley wanting to attack you, would you believe me?” They all replied in the affirmative
so he said to them: “Well, I am warning you of an imminent severe punishment!” Abu Lahab, (an uncle of
the Prophet), Allah’s curse be on him, retorted: “May you be miserable for the rest of the day! Is this why
you called us?!”

Then Allah revealed: “Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he!” (Al-Masad 111:1)

A similar narration is reported from the Hadith of Al-A’mash.

Imam Ahmad also related from Abu Hurairah that: “When the Verse: 'And warn your tribe (O Muhammad)
of near kindred' was revealed, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, called all
of the tribe of Quraish and addressed them thus:

“O, assembly of the Quraish! save yourself from the Fire! O, assembly of Banu Ka‘b! save yourself from
the Fire! O, assembly of Banu Hashim! save yourself from the Fire! O, assembly of Banu AbdulMuttalib!
save yourself from the Fire! O, Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, save yourself from the Fire! For by Allah,
I will not avail you in any way before Allah but you have ties of kinship which I wish to uphold.”
53
‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “When the Verse: 'And warn your tribe (O, Muhammad) of
near kindred' was revealed, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) rose and said:
‘O, Fatimah Bint Muhammad! O, Safiyyah Bint Abdul-Muttalib! O, Banu Abdul-Muttalib! I cannot avail
you in the presence of Allah (if you disobey Him). So, ask whatever you wish from my property.”

The purpose was so that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, could persist in calling to
Allah night and day, privately and publicly without being distracted or deterred by obstacles; without being
dissuaded or hindered by any hindrance. He would approach the people at their private and public
assemblies; at their ceremonies and festivals and at points of Hajj rites. He kept calling those whom he met,
both freeborn and slaves; weak and strong, rich and poor. In his perception, all of the creatures were equal
in that regard. They transgressed against him and those who dared to follow him from among the weak
echelon of the society. Severe torment came from the powerful aristocratic polytheists of Quraish, both in
the form of statements and actions. The most severe of them (in opposition) was his uncle Abu Lahab whose
real name was Abdul-‘Uzza Ibn Abdul-Muttalib and his wife, Umm Jameel ‘Arwa Bint Harb Ibn Umayyah,
Abu Sufyan’s sister.

Conversely however, his uncle, Abu Talib, differed considerably from Abu Lahab in the treatment of the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, was the most beloved to him. Naturally, he would be compassionate and nice to him. He would
stave off harm and protect him. He opposed his people in that regard even though he was upon their religion
and their ways. Allah filled his heart with the love of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, which was derived from natural feelings rather from Shari‘ah obligation. His persistence on the
religion of his people is from the wisdom of Allah. If Abu Talib had accepted Islam he would not have
enjoyed such position of distinction and high opinion. They would not have held him in awe and high
esteem. Rather, they would have transgressed against him and extended their evil hands and tongues to
harm him.

“And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses." (Al-Qasas 28:68)

Allah has divided His creatures into different kinds and species. These are two polytheist uncles – Abu
Talib and Abu Lahab, yet, on the Day of Resurrection, one will be in shoal of Fire while the other will be
in its lowest depth. Allah has revealed a chapter thereof in His Book about Abu Lahab, which is recited on
mimbars (pulpits) and read in sermons and speeches saying:

“He will be burned in a Fire of blazing flames! And his wife too, who carries wood (thorns of Sadan
which she used to put on the way of the Prophet, or use to slander him).” (Al-Masad 111:3, 4)

Imam Ahmad related from Rabee‘ah Ibn ‘Ibad of Banu Ad-Deel who was a polytheist but later accepted
Islam. He said: “During the period of Jahiliyyah, I saw Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, in the market of Dhul-Majaz saying: “O people! Say la ilaha ill-Allah (there is no deity worthy
of worship but Allah) so that you may be successful” while the people were gathered before him. Standing
behind him was a clean-shaved man with squinted eye and with pony-tail hair who kept trailing him
everywhere he went while retorting: “He is a childish liar.” I inquired from the people about his identity
and they identified him as his uncle Abu Lahab.

As for Abu Talib, he was essentially affectionate and sympathetic by his nature as shall be gleaned from his
actions, clemency and resoluteness in defending Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

‘Aqeel Ibn Abi Talib said: “The Quraish approached Abu Talib and said to him: ‘Your nephew has harmed
our assemblies and places of worship, warn him to desist!’ Abu Talib said: 'O 'Aqeel! Go and bring me
Muhammad.' So I set off to search for him and I found him at Kabs (or he said: Hafsh). So I brought him
under extreme heat of the midday. When he arrived at their presence, Abu Talib said to him: ‘This group
of your uncles has alleged that you are disturbing them at their assemblies and places of worship, so desist
from disturbing them.’ Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) lifted his gaze to the

54
sky and said: 'Do you see this sun?' They replied in the affirmative, so he said: 'I am not more able than you
to abandon (this mission) even if upon the threat of a fireband.' Abu Talib said: 'My nephew has never lied
before, so return!'

Ya’qoob Ibn Utbah Ibn Mugheerah Ibn Al-Akhnas narrated that he was informed that when the Quraish
told Abu Talib their grievance, he sent for Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
and said to him: “My nephew, your people have approached me with such-and-such complaints, so please
spare me and yourself (from their trouble) do not place on me what neither me nor you is able to bear. Desist
from such of your statements which are detestable to them.”

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, thought that his uncle had changed his mind,
withdrawn his protection from him and was helpless to defend him. So he said: “O Uncle! By Allah, if they
put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left so that I might give up this matter until Allah causes
it to prevail or I die in its quest. I shall never do so.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, then wept and then turned to leave. When he saw the turn of event, Abu Talib called him: “My
nephew!” When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came back, he said:
“Go and continue in your affair and say whatever you wish. By Allah, I shall never hand you over in return
for anything.”

Ibn Ishaq said: “In that regard, Abu Talib recited this poem: (from a long rendition)

By Allah, they will never reach you with all their numbers

Until I am buried and sealed in the earth

Continue in your matter and no drawback shall reach you

A good news let that be for you and a comfort of your eyes

You invited me and I know you were only an adviser

You have spoken well and you have for a long time been trustworthy

You have presented a religion which I have known to be

One of the best religions ever practiced by mankind

But for reproach and my fear of blame

You would have found me manifestly tolerant to that

Imam Ahmad also related that Ibn ‘Abbas said: Abu Jahl said, “If I see Muhammad praying at the Ka‘bah,
I will trample on his neck.” When the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, heard of that, he
said, “If he does so, the angels will snatch him away.”

Ibn ‘Abbas also reported that Abu Jahl once passed by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, while he was praying, so he said: ‘‘Have I not forbidden you from praying, O, Muhammad? You well
know that there is no man who has a greater number of supporters than me." The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, reprimanded him. Jibraeel then came down with a revelation: “Then, let
him call upon his council (of helpers), We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!” (Soorah Al‘Alaq
96:17-18) By Allah, if he had called his supporters, he would have been held by severe punishment from
the angels.

Ibn ‘Abbas also narrated that Abu Jahl said: “If I see Muhammad praying at the Ka‘bah, I will tread on his
neck.” The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “If he does so, the angels will snatch
him away.”

55
Ibn Jareer related from Abu Hurairah that Abu Jahl asked (the people) whether they had seen Muhammad
placed his face on the ground (in prayer) in their presence. They all responded, “Yes.” So he said: “By
AlLat and Al-‘Uzza if I see him pray, I will trample on his neck and I will daub his face with dust.” He
came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while he was engaged in prayer, with the
intention of trampling on his neck, (and the people say) that he came near him but turned upon his heels
and tried to repulse something with his hands. It was said to him: ‘‘What is the matter with you?’' He said:
‘‘There is between me and him a ditch of fire and terror and wings.'’ Thereupon, Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “If he were to come near me, the angels would have torn him to
pieces.” Then Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this Verse. (The narrator) said: I do not know
whether it is the Hadith transmitted by Abu Hurairah or not: “Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds
(in disbelief and evil deed, etc.). Because he considers himself self-sufficient.” (Soorah Al-‘Alaq 96:6, 7)
to the end of the Soorah.

Imam Ahmad also related that ‘Abdullah said: “I never saw Allah’s Messenger curse the Quraish except
one day. He was engaged in prayer while a band of the ruffians from the Quraish was sitting in a gathering.
Nearby was an intestine of a slaughtered camel. Some of them said: “Who would bring this intestine and
place it on his back (while in prostration)?” ‘Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu’ait said: “I will do it.” So he took the
intestine and dropped it on the back of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, remained in prostration until Fatimah came and removed
them from his back.

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “O, Allah take revenge on this company of
the Quraish. ‘O, Allah! Take revenge on ‘Utba Ibn Rabee‘ah, Shaibah Ibn Rabee‘ah, Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham,
‘Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu’ait, Al-Waleed Ibn ‘Utbah, Ubayy Ibn Khalaf or Umayyah Ibn Khalaf.” (The sub-
narrator Shu‘bah, is not sure of the last name.) ‘Abdullah added, “I saw all of them killed on the battle field
on the day of Badr and they were dragged and thrown into the Qaleeb (a well) at Badr except Ubayy Ibn
Khalaf or Umayyah Ibn Khalaf for he was a fat man and he had been dismembered.” AlBukhari and Muslim
have also related it from various chains.

The Story of Al-Irashi and the Quraish’s Attempt at Harming the Prophet
Narrated Muhammad Ibn Ishaq that Abdul Malik Ibn Abi Sufyan Ath-Thaqafi narrated to us that a man
from Irash arrived in Makkah with his camel. Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham bought the camel from him and refused
to pay its price. The man went away until he came across an assembly of Quraish. Meanwhile, the Prophet,
peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was sitting at a section of the Mosque. The man called out: “O,
Quraish, is there any man who could aid me against Abul-Hakam Ibn Hisham for I am a stranger and a
wayfarer and he has usurped my rights?”

The attendees of the assembly said to him: “Do you see that man?” hoping to make jest of Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, since they knew the enmity existing between him
and Abu Jahl. “Go to him, he will aid you against him.” They said. The man from Irash went toward the
Messenger of Allah and narrated his ordeal to him. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
rose in his aid. When they saw the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, stood, they sent one
of them to follow him. They said: “Follow him so that we may see what he intends to do.” The Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then left for Abu Jahl’s residence. He knocked at his door. “Who
is there?” Abu Jahl asked. “This is Muhammad, come out!” the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, said.

Abu Jahl came out without any bloodshot face (of anger). The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, said: “Give this man his right.” Astonishingly, Abu Jahl said, “Right away while you are still
present I will give him what belongs to him.” So he went in and restored the man’s right. The Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went back and said to the Irashi, “here is your right.”
The Irashi went away and came upon the initial gathering of men and said: “May Allah reward him, I have
received my right.”

56
Soon afterward, the man whom they had sent with him (and had witnessed the incident) arrived. "Woe
betide you, what did you witness?” “One of the most astonishing things,” the man began. “He did nothing
other than knock at his door and he came out and he said to him, ‘Give this man his right’ and he said,
‘Right away while you are still present, I will give him what belongs to him.’ He then went in and brought
to him his right.”

Shortly thereafter, Abu Jahl himself came to the gathering and they asked him: “Woe be to you! Whatever
happened to you?! We never saw anything like what you did (today).” Abu Jahl replied, “Woe betide you
all! There was nothing other than that he knocked at my door and when I heard his voice I was filled with
fright. Then I came out to see that above his head was a ferocious looking bull camel with fiery shoulders
and canines the type of which I have never seen before. By Allah, if I had refused, it would have devoured
me up.”

Al-Bukhari related: ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair reported: "I asked Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas, 'Inform me of the worst
thing which the pagans did to the Prophet.' He said, 'While the Prophet was praying in the Hijr of the Ka‘bah
‘Uqba Ibn Abi Mu’ait came and put his garment around the Prophet’s neck and throttled him violently. Abu
Bakr came and held him by his shoulder and pushed him away from the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, and said, “Would you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, and he has come
to you with clear signs (proofs) from your Lord?” (Soorah Al-Ghafir 40:28)

Imam Ahmad also related from Anas who narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, said: “I was harmed for the sake of Allah in a manner never experienced by any man. And I was
intimidated in an unprecedented manner. I witnessed thirty days and nights without any food except what
can be contained in Bilal’s armpit (due to its meagerness).”

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said that Abu Talib, the uncle of the Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, was compassionate to him. He stood in his defense and staved off any harm from him. Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, proceeded upon the command of Allah elucidating
His religion undaunted. When the Quraish saw that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, will not cease in the least from what they found loathsome in his division of their ranks and
castigation of their gods; they also realized that his uncle, Abu Talib had become sympathetic to and
protective of him and has tenaciously refused them all access to (harm) him, so a group of the noblemen of
Quraish approached Abu Talib. (They were), ‘Utbah and Shaibah, the two sons of Rabee‘ah Ibn Abd Shams
Ibn Abd Manaf Ibn Qusayy, Abu Sufyan Sakhra Ibn Harb Ibn Umayyah Ibn Abd Shams, Abul-Bakhtari
whose actual name was Al-‘Aas Ibn Hisham Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Asad Ibn Abdul-Uzza Ibn Qusayy, Al-
Aswad Ibn Al-Muttalib Ibn Asad Ibn Abdul- Uzza, Abu Jahl whose real name was Amr Ibn Hisham Ibn
Al-Mugheerah Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar Ibn Makhzoom, Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn
‘Umar Ibn Makhzoom Ibn Yaqzah Ibn Murrah Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Luwayy, Nubaih and Munabbih, the two sons
of Al-Hajjaj Ibn Amir Ibn Hudhaifah Ibn Su’aid Ibn Sahm Ibn Amr Ibn Husais Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Luwayy, ‘Al-
Aas Ibn Wa’il Ibn Su’aid Ibn Sahm.

Ibn Ishaq narrated further: “All or many of them went to Abu Talib and said: ‘O Aba Talib, your nephew
has blasphemed our gods and criticized our religion. He has belittled our ideals and accused our ancestors
of having gone astray. Either you restrain him from us or let us deal with him. You are one of us, for you
disagree with his views.’ Abu Talib spoke nicely to them and rejected their proposal in a gentle manner. So
they went away.

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, continued with his da‘wah elucidating the
religion of Allah and inviting people to it. Soon, relations between him and the Quraish reached low ebb
such that he became the theme of their talks and plots. Once again they went to Abu Talib and said: “O Abu
Talib, we respect you because of your age and nobility among us. We had requested you to restrain your
nephew but you declined. By Allah, we shall not be tolerant of this abuse of our ancestors, desecration of
our customs and blasphemy of our gods. So either you restrain him from us or we shall fight you both over
the matter until one side perishes in that course.” Thereafter, they left. Abu Talib became extremely worried

57
by the thoughts of separation and enmity from his people yet he did not also feel comfortable at handing
over Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to them.

Ibn Ishaq continued: Ya‘qoob Ibn Al-Mugheerah Ibn Al-Akhnas narrated to me that he was informed that
when the Quraish said these words to Abu Talib, he sent a message to Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, saying: “O my nephew! Your people have approached me saying suchand-
such (narrating what they said to him). Look after yourself and me and do not burden me with what I am
unable to bear.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, thought that his uncle had
changed his mind, withdrawn his protection from him and was helpless to defend him. So he said: “O uncle,
by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left so that I might give up this matter
until Allah causes it to prevail or I die in the process, I shall not give it up.”

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, wept and soon got up. However, when he
turned to leave his uncle called him and said: “Go my nephew and say whatever you wish, I shall never
hand you over for anything.”

Heightened Persecution of Weak Muslims

Ibn Ishaq said: Then the Quraish became poised to persecute those belonging to their own clans from the
Companions of Allah’s Messenger. They pounced upon them, torturing and extremely trying them with a
view to making them recant their religion. Allah, however, prevented them from doing any harm to Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, with the presence of his uncle, Abu Talib. Abu Talib
had stood his ground when he saw what the Quraish had done regarding Banu Hashim and Banu Abdul-
Muttalib. So he invited them (Banu Hashim and Banu Abdul-Muttalib) to join him in defending Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. All of them responded positively to his call with the
exception of Abu Lahab, the enemy of Allah (SWT).

From the objections of the polytheists against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, and their harshness to him is their questioning and requests for different signs and extraordinary
occurrences emanating from their obstinacy rather than genuine quest for guidance and right consciousness.
Consequently, many of their requests and desires were not acceded to owing to the knowledge of Allah that
if they had witnessed what they wanted still they would have persisted in their blind inordinateness. And
that they would have continued to wallow in their vain gloriousness and waver in their misguidance.

Allah (SWT) says: “And they swear their strongest oaths by Allah, that if there came to them a sign, they
would surely believe therein. Say: 'Signs are but with Allah and what will make you (Muslims) perceive
that (even) if it (the sign) came, they will not believe?' And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away
(from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in their
trespass to wander blindly. And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto
them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless
Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly.” (Soorah Al-An‘am 6:109-111)

Allah, Most High, also says: “Truly! Those, against whom the Word (Wrath) of your Lord has been justified,
will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, ‑ until they see the painful torment.” (Soorah
Yoonus 10:96,97)

Allah, the Almighty, says: “And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat (proofs, evidences and Signs) but
that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her
wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).” (Soorah Al-
Isra 17:59)

Allah (SWT) says: “And they say: 'We shall not believe in you (O, Muhammad), until you cause a spring
to gush forth from the earth for us; Or you have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush
forth in their midst abundantly; Or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended,
or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face; Or you have a house of adorable materials (like

58
silver and pure gold, etc.), or you ascend up into the sky, and even then we will put no faith in your ascension
until you bring down for us a Book that we would read.' Say (O, Muhammad): 'Glorified (and Exalted) be
my Lord (Allah) above all that evil they (polytheists) associate with Him! Am I anything but a man, sent as
a Messenger'?” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:90-93)

Imam Ahmad related from Ibn ‘Abbas who narrated that the people of Makkah asked the Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to turn Mount Safa into gold and to obliterate a mountain
so that they might cultivate in its place. It was said to him: "if you wish, be patient with them and if you
wish you bring them what they request but if they disbelieve thereafter, they will be destroyed as nations
before them were destroyed." Allah’s Messenger responded: “Rather, I will be patient with them.”

Thus, Allah, Most High, revealed: “And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old
denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent
not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:59)

Imam Ahmad also related from Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “The Quraish once said to the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him: ‘pray to your Lord, on our behalf, to turn Mount Safa into gold so that we
may believe in you.' Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked, 'Will you really
do that?!'. 'Yes, ‘ they responded. The Prophet supplicated and Jibraeel came to him and said: 'Your Lord
is sending His greetings and He is saying to you: If you wish, Mount Safa will be turned into gold for them
overnight but whoever amongst them disbelieves thereafter I will punish him with a punishment the severity
of which I have not meted out to anyone else before. Or if you wish I open for them the door of mercy and
repentance.’ Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, responded, ‘rather, I prefer
mercy and repentance,.”

Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi also related from Abu Umamah from the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, that he said: “My Lord offered to turn the valley of Makkah into gold for me and I
declined saying: ‘No! My Lord, rather, let me be satisfied one day and go hungry the other (or something
similar to that) such that when I go hungry, I supplicate (to You) and remember You and when I am filled,
I thank You and demonstrate gratitude to You'.”

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq related from Ibn Abbas that: “The Quraish sent An-Nadr Ibn Al-Harith and 'Uqbah
Ibn Abu Mu’ait to the high priests of the Jews in Madinah charging them both with the following instruction:
'Ask them about Muhammad, describe to them his attributes and narrate to them some of what he says, for
they are the people who first received revelation and they also possess knowledge that is not found with us
regarding the prophets.'

Both of them set out until they arrived at Madinah and they asked the high priests of the Jews about Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, describing to them his affair and some of what he
says. They said: “You are the custodian of the Tawrah, we have come to you to inform us regarding one of
us (who claims propethood).” The Jewish priests responded to their request saying: “Ask him about issues
we will recommend shortly, if he answers them correctly, then he is truly a Prophet that has been sent,
otherwise he is a man deserving to be killed. Ask him regarding the affairs of the youths of the earlier
generation for there is a strange story about them.

Ask him about the story of the man who went round the East and the West of the Earth, and finally, ask him
about the soul. If he informs you of all their answers correctly then he is a Prophet, so follow him. If he is
unable to answer you correctly then he is a man deserving to be killed. So you may act in a manner you
deem fit.

So, Nadr and 'Uqbah returned to Makkah and met with the Quraish. They both said: “O Quraish, we have
come to you with a criterion between you and Muhammad. The Jewish high priests have instructed us to
ask him a couple of questions.” They mentioned the questions and gleefully they sent for Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him. When he arrived, they presented the questions of the

59
Jewish priests to him. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said: “I shall inform
you of the answers to the questions tomorrow” forgetting to say insha’Allah (if Allah wishes).

They departed and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, waited for fifteen nights
without receiving revelation regarding the questions and Jibraeel did not come until the people of Makkah
began to taunt him. They said: “Muhammad promised to respond to our queries tomorrow and we have
witnessed the fifteenth night without him telling us anything about what we asked him.” While it lasted,
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, also was extremely grieved over the suspense
and extremely disturbed by what the people of Makkah began to say. Thereafter, Jibraeel, peace be on him,
came to him bearing from Allah, the revelation of Soorah Al-Kahf containing a subtle reproach, a dispelling
of his worry and answers to the questions put to him regarding the affairs of the youths and the man who
traversed (between the East and West). Allah, Most High, also says regarding the question of the nature of
human soul:

“And they ask you (O, Muhammad) concerning the Rooh (the Spirit); Say: 'The Rooh: it is one of the things,
the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a
little.” (Al-Isra 17: 85) We have spoken about all of that at length in the Tafseer. Whoever wishes may refer
to it.

Allah also revealed: “Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names
of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs?” (Al-Kahf 18:9) Then Allah began to elaborate
on their story and then He interrupted it with a lesson for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, on the saying of insha’Allah in His words: “And never say of anything, 'I shall do such-and-such thing
tomorrow. Except (with the saying), If Allah will!' And remember your Lord when you forget and say: It
may be that my Lord guides me unto a nearer way of truth than this'.” (Al-Kahf 18:
23, 24)

Then Allah (SWT) mentions the story of Moosa with an addendum of the story of Al-Khidr and then that
of Dhul-Qarnain. Allah says: “And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: 'I shall recite to you something
of his story'.” (Al-Kahf 18: 83) Then He elaborates on his issue and narrates his story.

Allah (SWT) says in the Soorah Subhan (Al-Isra): “And they ask you (O Muhammad) concerning the Rooh
(the Spirit); Say: 'The Rooh: it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord'.” (Al-
Isra 17: 85) that is, it is one of the most enigmatic creatures of Allah and one of His Signs. Allah merely
said to it: "Be" and it was. Man does not have total comprehension of all that Allah has created and inquest
into its reality (i.e. the soul) will be extremely difficult juxtaposed against the Power and Wisdom of Allah.
Thus, Allah, Most High, says: “And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.” (Al-Isra’
17: 85)

It is recorded in the Saheehain that the Jews asked these questions from the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him, of Allah at Madinah and he recited this Verse to them. It is either that the
Verse was revealed twice or that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, merely recalled it
as a fitting answer to their questions though it had been previously revealed.

The opinion that: It was revealed at Madinah and that the Verse of istithna’ (the saying of insha’Allah)
belongs to the Soorah of Subhan is, however, debatable. And Allah (SWT) knows best.

Ibn Ishaq said: Then they turned in enmity to those who accepted Islam and followed the Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from among his Companions. Each clan pounced on the
Muslims belonging to their clan. They would incarcerate and torture them with beatings, hunger and thirst
as well as with the burning sand of the hot Makkan desert. They tortured the weak ones amongst them so
that that they may recant their faith. There were some who were broken by the severity of the torture and
there were others who were hardened until eventually, Allah (SWT) saved them.

60
Bilal was a freed slave of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Some members of Banu Jumah had
some slaves and Bilal Ibn Rabah was one of them. His mother’s name was Hamamah. Bilal was a sincere
believer with a pure soul. Umayyah Ibn Khalaf used to bring him out in the excruciating heat and he would
order that a heavy stone be placed on his chest and he would say: “we will not cease doing this until you
either die or disbelieve in Muhammad and worship Al-Lat and Al-Uzza.” Inspite of the nervewrecking pain
Bilal would repeat: “Ahad! Ahad!!” (One, One).

Ibn Ishaq then mentioned the passing by of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, while Bilal, may
Allah be pleased with him, was being tortured and he offered to buy him from Umayyah with another black
slave of his. Then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, freed Bilal and gave him succor from the
punishment. Ibn Ishaq also mentioned others whom he purchased among male and female slaves who had
accepted Islam. Among them were Bilal, Amir Ibn Fuhairah, Umm Ubais and Zinneerah, the one who lost
her sight but Allah restored it for her. May Allah be pleased with them all. The list also includes Nahdiyyah
and her daughter who were purchased from the Banu Abdud-Dar. Her mistress sent them to grind flour for
her. He once overheard her saying: “By Allah, I will never free you both.” Then Abu Bakr, may Allah be
pleased with him, said “withdraw your oath, O Umm Fulan.” She said: “Withdraw it? You spoiled them so
you free them.” “How much is their freedom worth?” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, asked and
she answered: “such-and-such amount of money.” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I have
bought and freed them both. Return her flour to her.” They both said: “Shouldn’t we finish with the grinding
first and then return it to her?” “That is your choice.” Abu Bakr replied. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased
with him, also bought a slave girl of Banu Mu’ammal from Banu Adiyy' whom ‘Umar used to beat for her
acceptance of Islam.

Ibn Ishaq also related: Abu Quhafah once said to his son, Abu Bakr: ‘‘I see that you prefer to buy the
freedom of weak slaves but wouldn’t it be better if you bought strong men instead, who would assist and
defend you?” Abu Bakr responded: “My father, this is what I prefer.” He related that the following Verses
were revealed about him and what his father told him:

“As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him, And believes in Al-Husna,
We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness).” (Soorah Al-Lail 92: 5-7) till the end of the
chapter.

Ibn Ishaq said: Banu Makhzoom used to bring ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir along with his father and mother in the
scorching heat and theirs was an entire household of Islam. They would be tortured with the searing sand
of Makkan desert. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, would pass by and he
would say to them: “Be patient, O family of Yasir, your rendezvous is in Paradise.”

Imam Ahmad said that Wakee’ informed me from Sufyan from Mansoor from Mujahid who said: “The first
martyr ever recorded in Islam was the martyrdom of Umm ‘Ammar, Sumayyah, may Allah be pleased with
her. Abu Jahl stabbed her with a spear in her private parts.” This report is mursal.

Ibn Ishaq said that Hakeem Ibn Jubair related to me from Sa‘eed Ibn Jubair who said: “I once asked Ibn
‘Abbas: ‘Were the polytheists so much severe in their torture of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger to
such an extent that they would be excused if they recanted from their faith?' He responded: 'Yes, by Allah!
One of them would be tortured with deprivation of food and water to an extent that he would not be able to
sit up due to the severity of the torment meted to him until he acceded to their demand. They would say to
him: Do you accept Al-Lat and Al-Uzza instead of Allah?' and he would reply in affirmation as a ransom
from their severe torture'.”

It is regarding something like this that Allah revealed: “Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except
him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their breasts to disbelief,
on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment.” (Soorah An-Nahl 16:106)

This sort of people is excused because of what they have experienced of indignity and extreme suffering.
Allah (SWT) informed us of that with His Wisdom and Power.

61
Imam Ahmad also related that Khabbab Ibn Al-Aratt said: “During the pre-Islamic period, I was a
blacksmith and Al-‘Aas Ibn Wa’il owed me a debt.” So Khabbab went to him to demand the debt. He said,
“I will not give you (your due) till you disbelieve in Muhammad.” Khabbab said, “By Allah, I shall not
disbelieve in Muhammad till Allah makes you die and then resurrects you.” Al-‘Aas said, “So leave me till
I die and then be resurrected, for I will be given wealth and children whereupon I will pay you your debt.”
Then Allah revealed this Verse: “Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Ayat (this Qur’an and
Muhammad) and (yet) says: 'I shall certainly be given wealth and children [if I will be alive (again)], ‘
(Soorah Maryam 19:77) till the statement of Allah: “And We shall inherit from him (at his death) all that
he talks of (i.e. wealth and children which We have bestowed upon him in this world), and he shall come
to Us alone.” (Soorah Maryam 19:80)

It is also related in the Saheehain and other than both through ‘A’mash. In the wordings of Al-Bukhari, Al-
Khabbab said: “I was a blacksmith in Makkah. I did a job for Al-‘Aas Ibn Wa’il and then came for the
payment” and then he mentioned the remainder of the Hadith.

Imam Al-Bukhari also related that Al-Khabbab said: “I came to complain to Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, (about the severity of our suffering at the hands of the polytheists) while
he was leaning against his sheet cloak in the shade of the Ka‘bah. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, shouldn’t
you supplicate to Allah on our behalf?" He sat down while his face turned red and he said, “Among those
who were before you, a (believer) used to be seized and his flesh might be combed with iron combs and
removed from his bones and that did not cause him to revert from his religion. Then a saw used to be
brought and put on his head which would be split into two halves. Still that did not cause him to recant his
religion. Allah will complete this matter (Islam) till a rider (traveler) goes from San‘a (the capital of Yemen)
to Hadramawt fearing nobody except Allah.” Bayan added: “..and the wolf lest it should trouble his sheep.”

The polytheists’ disputation of the Messenger of Allah and his establishing an

irrefutable proof on them and their acknowledgement of the Truth
Ishaq Ibn Rahuyah reported from Ibn ‘Abbas that Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah once came to Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who recited the Qur’an to him. What he heard had a
visible effect on him, and he went away with softened heart. When the news of this incident got to Abu
Jahl, he came to him and said:

“O my uncle! Your people wish to gather wealth for you." "why?" Al-Waleed asked. Abu Jahl said:
"Because you approached Muhammad so as to benefit from what comes from him." Al-Waleed said: "The
entire Quraish well know that I am one of the wealthiest of them.” Then Abu Jahl said: “Then say something
(against Muhammad) so that the people will know that you are against him and hate (his message).” Al-
Waleed replied, "and what can I say? For I swear by Allah, there is none amongst you who knows poetry
as well as I do, nor can anyone compete with me in composition or rhetoric - not even in the poetry of Jinns!
And yet, I swear by Allah, Muhammad’s speech (meaning the Qur’an) does not bear any similarity to
anything I know, and I swear by Allah, the speech that he says is very sweet, and is adorned with beauty
and charm. Its first part is fruitful and its last part is abundant (meaning that it is full of deep meanings),
and it conquers (all other speech), and remains unconquered! It shatters and destroys all that has come
before it (of poetry, because of its eloquence)!”

Abu Jahl insisted, "Your people will not be satisfied until you speak against him!" Al-Waleed therefore
requested Abu Jahl, "Leave me so that I may think about it." Then he said: "This (the Qur’an) is a type of
magic that has an effect on its listeners."

In response to this, Allah revealed: “Leave Me Alone (to deal) with whom I created Alone (without any
means, i.e. Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah Al-Makhzumi)! And then granted him resources in abundance.
And children to be by his side!” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:11-13) This is how Al-Baihaqi related it from
Al-Hakim from ‘Abdullah Ibn Muhammad As-Sana’ni in Makkah from Ishaq.

62
Hammad Ibn Zaid has also reported from Ayyub from ‘Ikrimah in a mursal form which includes that he
recited to him the following Verse: “Verily, Allah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but
Allah Alone - Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah,
totally for Allah’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet in a perfect manner],
and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allah has ordered you to give them, e.g., wealth, visiting,
looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.): and forbids Al-Fahsha’ (i.e all evil deeds, e.g. illegal
sexual acts, disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a life without right,
etc.), and Al-Munkar (i.e all that is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every
kind of evil deeds, etc.), and Al-Baghy' (i.e. all kinds of oppression), He admonishes you, that you may take
heed.” (Soorah An-Nahl 16: 90)

I say: Regarding that, Allah says, by way of informing (us) of their ignorance and paucity of their intellect.
“Nay, they say: 'These (revelations of the Qur’an which are inspired to Muhammad) are mixed up false
dreams! Nay, he has invented it! Nay, he is a poet! Let him then bring us an Ayah (sign as a proof) like the
ones (Prophets) that were sent before (with signs)'!” (Soorah Al-Anbiya’ 21:5)

Consider what they say. Everything they say is false for whatever the one who is far removed from the truth
says will always be faulty. Allah, Most High, says: “See what examples they have put forward for you. So
they have gone astray, and never can they find a way.” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:48)

Imam Ahmad related from ‘Abd Ibn Humayd in his Musnad: From Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah who said: "The
Quraish assembled one day and said ‘check who is the most knowledgeable of you in magic, soothsaying
and poetry so that he may approach this man who has divided our ranks, shattered our affairs and criticized
our religion so tha he may speak with and respond to him.' They all said: 'we know no one better than ‘Utbah
Ibn Rabee‘ah.' So they unanimously said: 'We appoint you, O Abul-Waleed.'

‘Utbah went to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: 'O Muhammad!
Who is better between you and ‘Abdullah (your father)? Who is better between you and Abdul-Muttalib
(your grandfather)?' Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, remained silent. ‘Utbah
continued: 'If you think that these individuals are better than you are, then be aware that they worshipped
the god that you reject. If you think that you are better than them, then speak so that we may hear your
speech. By Allah, we have seen no other son who has brought so great a calamity to his people as you have
done. You have created strife among us, shattered our affairs, rejected our religion and caused us disgrace
among the Arabs in such a way that it has become widespread among them that there is a magician among
the Quraish and that a soothsayer exists among the Quraish. If you have a need for wealth, we will join
together to give you greater riches than any man of Quraish. If you are impelled by a desire for women,
choose any woman of your liking and we shall marry ten of them to you.

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 'Have you said all you have to say?'
and ‘Utbah said ‘yes.’ Then Allah’s Messenger began: 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful. Ha-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows
their meanings]; a revelation from Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful; a Book whereof the
Verses are explained in detail; a Qur’an in Arabic for people who know' up to the statement of Allah: 'But
if they turn away, then say (O Muhammad): I have warned you of a Sa’iqah (a destructive awful cry,
torment, hit, a thunderbolt) like the Sa’iqah which overtook ‘Ad and Thamud (people).' (Soorah AlFussilat
41:1-13)

'Do you have other than this?' Utbah asked and the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
‘No.’ Then he returned to the Quraish and they asked him: 'What transpired?' and he said: 'I have never
heard words similar to those ones he recited.' Then they enquired: 'Did he respond to you?' He said ‘Yes, ‘
and then said ‘No. By Him Who built the Ka‘bah, I did not understand anything from what he said except
that I warn you of a thunderbolt similar to that of the Ad and Thamud.' Indignantly, they said, 'Woe betide
you, someone spoke to you in Arabic and you did not understand anything from what he said?' and he
responded: 'By Allah, I did not understand anything other than the mentioning of thunderbolt'."

63
Al-Baihaqi related that Mugheerah Ibn Shu‘bah said: “The first day I knew Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, was when I was walking along with Abu Jahl in an alleyway of Makkah
and we met Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and he said to Abu Jahl, 'O Abul-
Hakam, come on to Allah and His Messenger, I am inviting you to Allah.' Abu Jahl said, 'O Muhammad,
won’t you desist from slandering our gods? Do you desire anything other than that we witness that you
delivered (the message) and we have witnessed to that? By Allah, if I knew that what you are saying is true
I would have followed you.' Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went away
and Abu Jahl turned to me and said:

'By Allah, I know that what he says is the truth but something is hindering me. Banu Qusayy would boast:
'among us is Al-Hijabah (enrobing the Ka‘bah)' and we would concur; then they would say ‘among us is
As-Siqayah’ (providing water for pilgrims) and still we would concur; then they would say, ‘among us is
An-Nadwah (the meeting place of the Quraish) and we would say yes; they would say, 'among us is AlLiwa’
(the flag of the Arabs) and we would say yes. And then they score and we also score until when I am about
to take the rein and they would say again, among us is a Prophet. By Allah, I shall not accede to that.”

Imam Ahmad related that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The following Verses were revealed while the Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was still in Makkah: “And offer your salat (prayer) neither
aloud nor in a low voice.” He said, “Whenever Allah’s Messenger led his Companions in salat, he would
raise his voice in reciting the Qur’an, so when the polytheists heard it they would abuse the Qur’an and
abuse Who revealed it and abuse who brought it.” Ibn ‘Abbas said further, “then Allah says to His Prophet
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him): “And offer your salat (prayer) neither aloud,” (Soorah Al-Isra
17:110) That is, with your recitation of the Qur’an and the polytheists would hear and therefore abuse the
Qur’an. “… nor in a low voice.” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:110) i.e. do not make too low for your Companions to
hear you recite the Qur’an so that they might learn from you, “but follow a way between.” (Soorah Al-Isra
17:110)

Hijrah of those who migrated among the Companions of Allah’s Messenger

from Makkah to Abyssinia
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq related that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw the
tribulation that has afflicted his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and his own relative
wellbeing engendered from Allah (SWT) and occasioned by his uncle, Abu Talib, against the backdrop of
his inability to avert from them their persecution. Thus, he said to them, “Shouldn’t you migrate to
Abyssinia? There is a king there under whose authority no one is tyrannized. It is a land of truth. Remain
there until Allah provides you a relief from your situation."

Thus, a number of Muslims from the Companions of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, migrated to Abyssinia for fear of persecution and in flight toward Allah (SWT) with their
religion. That incident marked the first migration in Islam. The first to emigrate among the Muslims was
‘Uthman Ibn Affan and his wife, Ruqayyah, daughter of Allah’s Messenger.

Ibn Ishaq also enumerated the other emigrants: “…and Abu Hudhaifah Ibn ‘Utbah, Az-Zubair Ibn
Al‘Awwam, Mus‘ab Ibn ‘Umair, ‘Abdur Rahman Ibn ‘Awf, Abu Salamah Ibn ‘Abdul-Asad and his wife
Umm Salamah Bint Abu Umayyah Ibn Al-Mugheerah (and she bore Zainab for him there). Others were
‘Uthman Ibn Maz’oon, ‘Amir Ibn Rabee‘ah an ally of the family of Khattab from the clan of Banu ‘Anz
Ibn Wa’il and his wife Layla Bint Abi Hathma, Abu Sabrah Ibn Abi Ruhm Al-Amiri and his wife, Umm
Kulthoom Bint Suhail Ibn ‘Amr. It is said that it was Hatib Ibn ‘Amr Ibn ‘Abd Shams Ibn ‘Abd Wudd Ibn
Nasr Ibn Malik Ibn Hisl Ibn Amir who first arrived in Abyssinia along with Suhail Ibn Baida. These ten
people were the first to migrate among the Muslims to Abyssinia based on the information that reached me.

Ibn Hisham said: the one who led the emigrant was ‘Uthman Ibn Maz’oon as mentioned by some people of
knowledge.

64
Ibn Ishaq related: Thereafter, Ja‘afar Ibn Abu Talib and his wife, Asma’ Bint ‘Umais also emigrated and
she gave birth to ‘Abdullah Ibn Ja‘afar there. Then other Muslims also began to follow one after the other
until they became a sizable congregation in Abyssinia.

Ibn Ishaq also said: The aggregate of those who migrated and stayed in Abyssinia from among the Muslims
(aside from the children who migrated with their parents and those given birth to there) was eighty-three
men if ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir is counted among them and that is doubtful.

Imam Ahmad related that Ibn Mas‘ood said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
sent us to Najashi, we numbered about eighty men among who were ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood, Ja‘afar,
‘Abdullah Ibn Urfutah, ‘Uthman Ibn Maz’oon and Abu Moosa.

We went to Najashi and the Quraish sent ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas and ‘Umarah Ibn Al-Waleed with great presents
to ferret our extradition from Abyssinia. When they both arrived at the court of Najashi, they prostrated
before him and then they inundate him left and right with other courtesies. Thereafter, they began to say:
“A group of our cousins have arrived in your domain and they have reneged from us and our religion.”
“Where are they?” Najashi asked. “They are right here in your land.” The Quraish emissary replied. “Send
for them,” Najashi ordered. When the Muslims gathered at the court of the king, Ja‘afar offered to speak on
their behalf. They greeted the king without prostrating before him. “Why didn’t you prostrate before the
king?” they asked and Ja’far replied: “We do not prostrate before anyone other than Allah (SWT) and He
has ordered us to offer prayer, pay the compulsory charity.” ‘Amr interjected, "they also differ with you
regarding ‘Eesa, the son of Maryam!” “What is your opinion of ‘Eesa, the son of Maryam?” the king asked.
Ja‘afar said: “Regarding him, we only say what Allah has revealed to our Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him. He said: he (‘Eesa) is the servant of Allah and His Messenger; His Spirit and His Word
which He cast into Maryam, the Virgin.”

Najashi picked up a small stick from the floor and said: “O people of Abyssinia, priests and rabbis, by Allah,
‘Eesa, the son of Maryam, was no less than what you have said by the width of this stick. Welcome to you
and what you have come with. I bear witness that he is truly a Messenger of Allah and that he is the one the
description of whom we found in the Injeel. He is the Messenger the tiding of whom Jesus, the son of
Maryam, had given previously. Reside wherever you wish, if not for the burden of kingship which I am
saddled with, I would have come to him so that I become the one to carry his shoes for him.” Then he
commanded that the gifts the Quraish emissaries brought to bribe him be returned. This chain of narrations
is good. Then Ibn Mas‘ood accelerated to the time of the Battle of Badr.

This is how Al-Hafiz Al-Baihaqi also related it in Ad-Dala’il through Abu ‘Ali Al-Hasan Ibn Sallam
AsSawwaq from ‘Ubaidullaah Ibn Moosa and he mentioned with his own chain of narrations that: “…then
he ordered that food and clothing be provided to us.”

He said: this chain of narrations is Saheeh and it is apparent from the narration that Abu Moosa was in
Makkah and that he migrated along with Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Talib to Abyssinia.

It is authentically related from Buraid Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Burdah from his grandfather, Abu Burdah
from Abu Moosa that: We received the news of the departure of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, (to Madinah) while we were in Yemen. So we went on board a ship but our ship took us away
to Najashi in Abyssinia. There we met Ja‘afar and stayed with him till we came (to Madinah) by the time
the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, had conquered Khaibar. The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “O you people of the ship! You will have (the reward of) two
migrations.”

The news of the migration of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, (from Makkah to
Madinah) reached them while they were in Yemen. So they set out as emigrants toward him. They were
over fifty men. They got on board a boat and the boat took them to Najashi in Abyssinia. There they met
Ja‘far and stayed with him. Then they came (to Madinah) and met the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, at the time of the conquest of Khaibar. He also said: Abu Moosa witnessed what transpired

65
between Ja‘afar and Najashi and thus he narrated about. He also said: perhaps the narrator was confused
when he said: "Allah’s Messenger ordered us to proceed." And Allah knows best.

Al-Bukhari also related a similar narration in the chapter of the "Emigration to Abyssinia" from Abu Moosa
who said: “We received the news of the departure of the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him,
(to Madinah) while we were in Yemen. So we went on board a ship but our ship took us away to Najashi
in Ethiopia. There we met Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Talib and stayed with him till we came (to Madinah) by the time
when the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had conquered Khaibar. The Prophet said, “O
you people of the ship! You will have (the reward of) two migrations.”

As for the incident of Ja‘afar’s encounter with Najashi, Al-Hafiz Ibn ‘Asakir related from ‘Abdullah Ibn
Ja‘afar from his father who said: “The Quraish sent ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas and Umarah Ibn Al-Waleed with
presents from Abu Sufyan to Najashi. They said to him while we were present: “There is a group of foolish
persons from among our youths who have sneaked into your kingdom, return them to us.”

“No! Until I hear their own story,” Najashi said. Then they sent for us and asked, “What do you have to
say?” We said: “These are people devoted to the worship of idols but Allah sent to us a Messenger and we
believed and considered him truthful.” Then Najashi said to the Quraish emissaries: “Are these people your
slaves?” They replied in the negative. “Are they indebted you?” Najashi further asked, and the emissaries
replied, “No.” Najashi said: “Then leave them alone.” Then we left the court of the king.

Undaunted by the initial setback, ‘Amr again said: “These people say about ‘Eesa something contrary to
what you say.” Najashi said: “If they don’t say something similar to what we believe regarding ‘Eesa, then
I shall not allow them to remain in my domain an hour more of the day.” Again they sent for us and the
second summon was even harder on us than the first. “What does your companion (i.e. the Prophet) say
about ‘Eesa Ibn Maryam?” Najashi asked. We said: “He (‘Eesa) is the Spirit of of Allah and His Word
which He cast into Maryam the Virgin.” Najashi ordered: “Call such-and-such priest, call such-andsuch
rabbi." When they had gathered, he asked: "what do you say regarding ‘Eesa Ibn Maryam?” They said:
“You are more knowledgeable than us, what do you say?” Then Najashi picked up something from the floor
and said: “‘Eesa, the son of Maryam, was no less than what you have said by the width of this thing.” Then
he asked: “Has anyone harmed you?” they replied, "Yes." Then a caller announced that whoever harms
anyone of them shall be fined four dirhams. “Is that sufficient for you?” he asked and we said, "No," and
he multiplied the penalty.

However, when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, migrated to Madinah
and triumphed there, we said to Najashi: “Allah’s Messenger has become victorious and he has migrated to
Madinah and those about whom we told you have been killed. We wish to relocate to him so please make
provision for us.” He furnished us with riding animals and provisions and then said: “Inform your
companion about my treatment of you and this is my companion, I am sending him with you. Also ‘I bear
witness that none deserves to be worshipped other Allah and that he is a Messenger of Allah.' And ask him
to seek forgiveness for me.” Ja‘afar said: Then we set out until we reached Madinah and I met Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and he embraced me and then said: “I do not know
which fills me with more happiness, the conquest of Khaibar or the coming of Ja‘afar.” Then he sat and the
messenger of Najashi said: "This is Ja‘afar, ask him how our companion treated him.” “Yes," Ja‘afar began
to say, "he did such-and-such to us, he furnished us with riding animals and provisions and he testifies that
none deserves to be worshipped in truth other than Allah and that you are a Messenger of Allah. And he
asked me to request you to seek forgiveness for him. Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, stood up, performed ablution and he supplicated: “O Allah, forgive Najashi,” three times
while the Muslims said "ameen." Ja‘afar further narrated: Then I said to the messenger (of Najashi) "proceed
and inform your companion about what you have witnessed from Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him. Ibn Asakir said it is hasan ghareeb.

Moosa Ibn 'Uqbah said: Najashi’s father used to be the king of Abyssinia. He died while Najashi was a
small child. He bequeathed authority to his brother to hold until Najashi comes of age. The brother usurped
the authority and sold Najashi to some traders. The uncle died one night and the authority of Habashah
66
(Abyssinia) was restored to Najashi and they placed a crown on his head. This is how he mentioned it in a
summary form.

It is recorded in the Saheehain from a Hadith of Abu Hurairah who reported: "The Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, announced the news of the death of Najashi, the ruler of
Abyssinia, on the day he died and he took them out to the place of prayer and observed four takbeers.”

Jabir narrated that when Najashi died, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said,

“Today a pious man has died. So get up and offer the funeral prayer for your brother Ashamah.”

Some scholars said: He offered the prayer on him because he kept his faith secret from his people and there
was none with him the day he died who could pray on him. So this is why Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, offered a janazah (funeral) prayer on him.

According to these scholars, if a dead Muslim has been prayed over in his location of death, it is not
legislated to pray in absentia over the same corpse in other locations. This is why the Prophet, peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him, did not offer funeral prayers in Madinah for those who died in Makkah and
other places. Similarly, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, did not do it nor other
than them from among the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. It is not reported that he ever
offered funeral prayer over anyone of them other than the one offered for him in the land of his death. And
Allah knows best.

I say: The fact that Abu Hurairah witnessed the Prophet’s offering of funeral prayer on Najashi is an
indication that his death must have occurred after the Conquest of Khaibar in the same year the remainder
of the emigrants arrived at Madinah. This is why it is reported that he said: “I do not know which fills me
with more happiness, the Conquest of Khaibar or the coming of Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Talib.” They arrived with
large gifts and presents from Najashi, may Allah be pleased with him, to the Prophet, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him. Accompanying them were the people of the boat from Yemen, the companions of
Abu Moosa Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with him. Accompanying Ja‘afar and the gift was also a
nephew of Najashi, Dhu Mukhbir or Dhu Mukhmir, whom he sent to serve the Prophet, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, in place of his uncle. May Allah be pleased with them both and may they also find
pleasure.

As-Suhaili said that Najashi died in the month of Rajab, 9th year of Hijrah, though this is disputable. And
Allah knows best. Imam Al-Baihaqi said that when ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas came back from Abyssinia, he
remained in his house and did not go out. They wondered: “Why is he not coming out?” ‘Amr said: “Ashama
thinks that your companion is truly a Prophet.”

Ibn Ishaq said that when ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas and ‘Abdullah Ibn Rabee‘ah came back to the Quraish from
their fruitless quest of extraditing the Companions of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, from Abyssinia and Najashi responded to them with what is most hateful to them; to add to their
injury, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab accepted Islam. He was a very stubborn man. The Companions of Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not feel a sense of protection in any man other
‘Umar and Hamzah until they eventually routed the Quraish. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood used to say: “We were
not able to pray at the Ka‘bah until ‘Umar accepted Islam. When he became a Muslim, he fought his way
against the Quraish until he was able to pray at the Ka‘bah and we prayed along with him.”

I say: It is also recorded in the Saheeh Al-Bukhari from Ibn Mas‘ood that he said: “we never ceased to be
honored since ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab accepted Islam.”

Ibn Ishaq said: ‘Umar’s acceptance of Islam occurred after those who emigrated to Abyssinia from the
Companions of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had done so. ‘Abdur Rahman
Ibn Al-Harith Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Iyyash Ibn Abi Rabee‘ah narrated from ‘Abdul-Aziz Ibn ‘Abdullah from
‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Rabee‘ah from his mother, Umm ‘Abdullah Bint Abi Hathmah, who said: “By
Allah, we were migrating to Abyssinia, ‘Amir had gone to attend to some of our needs, when ‘Umar
67
approached. He stopped by me. At this time, he was still a polytheist and we used to experience harmful
persecution and severity from him so he said: ‘perhaps you are migrating, O Umm ‘Abdullah.' I replied in
affirmation: 'Yes, by Allah, we shall emigrate in the land of Allah until He provides for us a way out due to
your harm and coercion.' ‘Umar said: 'May Allah accompany you.' I saw in him a tenderness the like of
which I had never seen him demonstrate before. Then he went away. I see that our emigration must have
caused him great sorrow.”

She further narrated: “When ‘Amir returned from his attendance of some of our needs I said to him: 'O Abu
‘Abdullah, I wish you had seen ‘Umar just now and his tenderheartedness and grief over us.' He said: 'Do
you have a strong hope of him becoming a Muslim?' I replied, 'Yes, ‘ and he said: 'He will not accept Islam,
in my opinion, until the donkey of Al-Khattab accepts first'.” (Expressing a rarity of occurrence of such an
incident as the conversion of ‘Umar to Islam) due to his roughness and cruelty against Islam.

I say: This is a refutation to those who think that he is the fortieth Muslim because the emigrants to Abyssinia
were well over eighty. Except if it is said that: He is the fortieth after the emigration of the migrants and
this is reinforced by what Ibn Ishaq narrated here about the story of ‘Umar’s conversion. May Allah be
pleased with him.

Imam Baihaqi related from Ibn Ishaq who said that thereafter, about twenty Christian men came to meet
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, when his news had become widespread in
Abyssinia. They found him in an assembly. They requested his audience and asked him questions while
some men of Quraish were engrossed in their ceremony around the Ka‘bah. When they concluded their
questioning of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he invited them to Allah, the
Mighty and Majestic. He recited a portion of the Qur’an to them and upon listening to it, their eyes welled
up with tears. They responded positively to his invitation, believed in him, acknowledged his truthfulness
and recognized in him what had been described to them in their Books regarding him. When they rose from
his presence, Abu Jahl and a group of Quraish accosted them and said: “May Allah frustrate you, you were
sent by those whom you left behind among the people of your religion to seek his information and you were
not satisfied with your audience with him until you abandoned your religion. We do not know of any rider
more dim-witted than you,” or they said something similar.

The Christian delegates responded calmly: “Peace be unto you. We shall not behave to you ignorantly, we
are responsible for our own actions and you are responsible for yours.” Some said that the group was from
the Christians of Najran. And Allah knows best that which is correct. It is said, and Allah knows best, that
the following Verses of the Qur’an were revealed regarding them:

“Those to whom We gave the Scripture (i.e. the Tawrah and the Injeel, etc.) before it, - they believe in it
(the Qur’an). And when it is recited to them, they say: We believe in it. Verily, it is the Truth from our
Lord. Indeed, even before it we have been from those who submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims
(like ‘Abdullah Ibn Salam and Salman Al-Farisi, etc.). These will be given their reward twice over,
because they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided
them. And when they hear Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk), they withdraw from it and say: “To us
our deeds, and to you your deeds. Peace be to you. We seek not the ignorant.” (Soorah Al-Qasas
28:5255)

Imam Al-Baihaqi says in Ad-Dala'il from Ibn Ishaq, who said: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the
Merciful. This is a letter from Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) to Najashi
Asham, the sovereign of Abyssinia, peace be on to those who follow the right guidance. (I urge you to)
believe in Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and that you bear witness
that none deserves to be worshipped in truth except Allah, Alone. He has no associate and He did not chose
for Himself a companion or son and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him. I call upon you with the invitation of Allah for I am His Messenger. Accept Islam and
you will remain in peace. “Say (O Muhammad): 'O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to
a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners
with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: 'Bear
68
witness that we are Muslims'.” (Soorah Al ‘Imran 3: 64) If you refuse, upon you is the sin of all the
Christians among your people.

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent ‘Amr Ibn
Umayyah Ad-Damri with a letter to Najashi on the issue of Ja‘afar Ibn Abi Talib and his compatriots. (In
the letter, he wrote): In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger
of Allah to Najashi Al-Asham, the king of Abyssinia, peace be unto you. I commend Allah (to you), the
King, the Holy, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures. I also bear witness that ‘Eesa is the
Spirit of Allah and His Word, (“Be!” - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam, the virgin, the virtuous,
the good and she conceived ‘Eesa who has been created from His Spirit and His Blowing just as He created
Adam with His Hands and His Blowing. I am inviting you unto Allah beside Whom there is no partner and
patron to obey Him as well as to follow and believe in me and what I have come with for I am a Messenger
of Allah and I have sent to you my cousin, Ja’far, and with him is a group of Muslims. When they arrive,
show them hospitality and avoid haughtiness. I invite you and your army unto Allah. I have delivered the
message and I have advised you so heed my advice. Peace be unto those who follow the right guidance.”

Najashi also wrote in reply to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “In the Name
of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful. To Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, from Najashi AlAsham Ibn
Abjar, peace be unto you Prophet of Allah. Your letter has reached me, O Messenger of Allah. Regarding
what you mentioned about ‘Eesa, by the Lord of the heaven and the Earth, ‘Eesa was no more than what
you mentioned (about him). We have acknowledged what you have sent to us and have provided hospitality
to your cousin and his compatriots. I bear witness that you are a Messenger of Allah, truthful and
trustworthy. I pledged allegiance to you. I have pledged allegiance to your cousin and I have accepted Islam
at his hands for the sake of the Lord of the Worlds. I have equally sent to you, O Prophet of Allah, Ba’reeha
Ibn Al-Asham Ibn Abjar. I have no control except over myself and if you wish that I come to you myself, I
shall do that, O Messenger of Allah. I bear witness that all I have said is true.”

Moosa Ibn 'Uqbah narrated from Az-Zuhri: Thereafter, the polytheists became even more severe against
the Muslims than ever before till the persecution became even more precarious for them. The Quraish also
became unanimous in their open plot to kill Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
When Abu Talib saw the action of the people, he assembled the clan of Abdul-Muttalib and ordered them
to admit Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, into their midst and to prevent
anyone who might attempt to kill him. They were unanimous in that cause, the Muslims and the non-
Muslims alike. Among them were those who were committed to the cause out of clannish enthusiasm and
there were others whose commitment was borne out of faith and certainty.

When the Quraish realized that his people were consentient in their protection of Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, the polytheists of Quraish reached an accord not to admit the entire
clan of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in to their assembly. They also agreed
not to trade with them and not to enter their houses until they surrender Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, for execution. In their blind deceit, they entered into a formal pact and
covenant which they wrote on a parchment: “There shall never be reconciliation with the Banu Hashim and
no clemency shall be tolerated regarding them until they surrender him for execution.”

Banu Hashim remained excommunicated in their valley for three years. Their adversity intensified such that
all economic relations with them was severed and no foreign trade caravan arrived Makkah except that the
polytheists hastened to buy them all to prevent the Muslims and their sympathizers’ access to even basic
necessities all in the bid to spill the blood of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him.

Whenever people retired to their beds, Abu Talib would order Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, to also retire to his bed so that people who might have sinister motives may not see him.
However, when everyone would go to sleep, he would order one of his sons or cousins to exchange bed
with Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him.

69
When it was exactly three years after the commencement of the boycott, some men from Banu Abd Manaf,
from Banu Qusayy and selected individuals among the Quraish with marital ties with Banu Hashim began
to trade blames for acceding to an agreement which tantamount to breaking off ties of kinship as well as
disparaging the truth.

Same night, they met and reached an understanding to nullify the pact of the boycott and to dissociate
themselves from it. Allah sent worms upon their written pact of boycott and they ate up everything therein
concerning the pact. It is also said that the written parchment was hanged on the roof the Ka‘bah and the
worm did not leave the Name of Allah written on the parchment except that it ate it out leaving only what
it contained of shirk (associating partner with Allah), injustice and severance of kinship ties.

Then Allah (SWT) informed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, what fate
has befallen their parchment. So he mentioned that to Abu Talib. Abu Talib said: “By the star, you have
never lied to me!” So he proceeded along with some of his company among Banu Abdul-Muttalib until
they got to the House (Ka‘bah) which was filled with the Quraish. The Quraish thought that, finally, their
excruciating travails have harried them into surrendering Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, for execution. Abu Talib spoke first. He said: “A number of events have transpired between
us and it is needless recounting them. Bring out your parchment upon which you have agreed perhaps there
might be some reconciliation between us.” He said this for the fear that they might open the parchment
before bringing it out.

They brought out their parchment with much admiration. They were sure Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, would be turned over to them. So they placed the parchment before them.
They said, “It is high time you concede and return to that which will engender unity of your people. Only
one man has driven this wedge between us and you allowed him to push your people to the precipice of
destruction.” Abu Talib said: “I have come to you to offer you a 50:50 chance of reconciliation. My nephew
has informed me, and he has never lied to me, that Allah dissociates Himself from the pact contained in the
parchment in your possession and has erased all His names from it and left only your severance of ties of
kinship, your perpetration of injustice on us. If what my nephew has said is true, then by Allah, we shall
never surrender him to you until we all perish to the last man. However, if what he said is found to be
inconsistent with the truth, we shall surrender him to you right away and you may either kill him or let him
live.” The Quraish responded: “We are pleased with what you have said.” When they opened the parchment,
they found him to be truthful and trustworthy. When the Quraish saw that the matter is as Abu Talib has
presented, they said: “This is nothing but sorcery of your companion.” So they reneged on their earlier
promise. They returned to the status quo in their vile disbelief and severity on the Muslims and their
sympathizers.

Ibn Ishaq said: They remained excommunicated for two or three years and all supplies debarred from them
except what was smuggled to them secretly by those who preferred reconciliation with them among the
Quraish. It has been mentioned that Abu Jahl once met Hakeem Ibn Hizam Ibn Khuwailid Ibn Asad with
him was his boy carrying some wheat meant for his aunt Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid who was with Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the mountain pass. Abu Jahl held him and said:
“Are you going to supply Banu Hashim with food? By Allah, you will not go with that food to Banu Hashim
till I expose you to the entire Makkah.” Then came Abul-Bakhtari Ibn Hisham Ibn AlHarith Ibn Asad and
he asked: “what has transpired between both of you?” Abu Jahl, hoping for support, said: “He is supplying
food to the Banu Hashim.” Abu Bakhtari said to him: “The food belongs to his aunt. Would you prevent
him from taking her food to her? Let the man off!” Abu Jahl refused, Allah’s curse be on him. Abul-Bakhtari
took the jawbone of a camel and smashed the head of Abu Jahl and also kicked him violently. Hamzah Ibn
Abdul-Muttalib was nearby watching this incident and they disliked that news of such incident should get
to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Meanwhile, Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, persisted in calling his people night and day, secretly and openly
inviting them by the command of Allah without fearing anyone. When they saw the futility of their attempt
at physically terminating the Prophet’s life due to his protection by his uncle and his people from Banu
Hashim and Banu Abdul-Muttalib who stood solidly in his defense, the Quraish resorted to taunting and
making jests of him. All this happened while the Qur’an was being revealed detailing their misdeeds.
70
Among them were those whom revelation merely mentioned their enmities to him and amongst them are
those whose names were mentioned directly. There were yet others whom the Qur’an mentioned along with
the other polytheists. Ibn Ishaq mentioned Abu Lahab and the revelation of the Qur’an concerning him and
Umayyah Ibn Khalaf. The revelation “Woe to every slanderer and backbiter” (Soorah Al-Humazah 104:1)
and an entire chapter was revealed about him.

As for Al-‘Aas Ibn Wa’il and the revelation about him: “Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Ayat
(this Qur’an and Muhammad) and (yet) says: 'I shall certainly be given wealth and children [if I will be
alive (again)]',” (Soorah Maryam 19:77) was revealed about him. We have mentioned something about that
in the previous pages. Regarding Abu Jahl and his statement to the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him: “You either desist from insulting our gods or we shall insult your God in retaliation,” revelation
of the Words of Allah about that goes thus: “And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides
Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge.” (Soorah Al-An‘am 6:108)

An-Nadr Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Kaldah Ibn Alqamah and there are those who consider him to be ‘Alqamah Ibn
Kaldah. As-Suhaili narrated something about his manner of sitting wherever the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, had sat to recite the Qur’an and invite people to Allah, and he (i.e. AnNadr)
would recount to the people instead some of the stories of Rustum and Asfandyar and what great battles
that were fought between them during the reign of the Persians and then he would also say: “By Allah,
Muhammad is no better than me in speech and his words are nothing but fables of old which he has written
down just as I have also written down.” Then Allah revealed concerning that: “And they say: 'Tales of the
ancients, which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon'.” (Soorah Al-
Furqan 25:5 and also, “Woe to every sinful liar.” (Soorah Al-Jathiyah 45:7)

Ibn Ishaq said that a report that reached me said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, was sitting one day with Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah in the Mosque (Ka‘bah) and An-Nadr
Ibn Al-Harith came and sat with them. In the sitting were a number of other Quraish men. Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, continued his address but An-Nadr interrupted him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, spoke to him until he was dumbfounded and then
he recited the Qur’an to him: “Certainly! You (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now
besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely), you will enter it. Had these (idols, etc.) been aliha (gods),
they would not have entered there (Hell), and all of them will abide therein. Therein breathing out with deep
sighs and roaring will be their portion, and therein they will hear not.” (Soorah Al-Anbiya' 21:98100) Then
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, rose and went away.

Soon afterward, ‘Abdullah Ibn Az-Ziba’ra As-Sahmi came and sat in the gathering. Then Al-Waleed said
to him: “Not long ago, An-Nadhr neither stood up to Ibn Abdul-Muttalib nor did he stand down. Muhammad
had claimed that we and all the gods we worship will be fuel for the Fire.” ‘Abdullah Ibn AzZiba’ra said:
“By Allah, if I had met him I would have argued with him. Ask Muhammad: ‘will everything we worship
besides Allah become fuel for Hellfire along with their worshippers? We worship angels; the Jews worship
‘Uzair and the Christian worship 'Eesa, peace be on both of them.” Al-Waleed and those with him were
astonished by the words of Ibn Az-Ziba’ra and they considered that he had given fitting response and a
challenge (to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

When that was mentioned to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he said:
“Everyone who loves to be worshipped besides Allah, he along with his worshippers shall dwell in Hellfire.
As for them, rather, they are worshipping shayatin (devils) for they (i.e. the angels, ‘Uzair and 'Eesa) did
not order them to worship them.” Then Allah revealed: “Verily those for whom the good has preceded from
Us, they will be removed far there from (Hell) [e.g. ‘Eesa, son of Maryam; ‘Uzair (Ezra), etc.]. They shall
not hear the slightest sound of it (Hell), while they abide in that which their ownselves desire.” (Soorah Al-
Anbiya' 21:101,102) It means that ‘Eesa and ‘Uzair and those who were worshipped among monks and
rabbis were themselves righteous worshippers of Allah (SWT), Most High.

Allah (SWT) also revealed concerning those who worship the angels and considered them the daughters of
Allah: “And they say: 'The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or children)'. Glory to Him! They
71
[those whom they call children of Allah i.e. the angels, ‘Eesa, son of Maryam, ‘Uzair, etc.], are but honored
slaves.” (Soorah Al-Anbiya' 21:26) as well as Verses following it. Allah also revealed concerning the
astonishment of the polytheist at the statement of Ibn Az-Ziba’ra: “And when the son of Maryam is quoted
as an example [i.e. ‘Eesa is worshipped like their idols), behold! Your people cry aloud (laugh out at the
example). And say: 'Are our aliha (gods) better or is he ‘Eesa'?” They quoted not the above example except
for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. [(See VV. 21:97-101) - The Qur’an.] (Soorah Az-
Zukhruf 43:57, 58)

These argumentations embarked upon by the polytheists were all frivolous and they were quite aware of
that for they were Arabs and even in their language it makes no sense. Thus, when Allah says: “Certainly!
You (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely),
you will enter it.” (Soorah Al-Anbiya' 21:98) He meant what they use to worship of stones which they have
fashioned into idols and it is not applicable to the angels which they thought they were worshipping in these
forms; not the Christ, not ‘Uzair or even any of the righteous men. This is because the Verse is not applicable
to them whether in wording or meaning. They knew quite well that the similitude they tried to draw from
‘Eesa Ibn Maryam is a futile argument just as Allah points out: “… They quoted not the above example
except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people.” (Soorah Az-Zukhruf 43:58) and then He
says: “He (‘Eesa) was not more than a slave We granted Our Favor to him.” (Soorah Al-Zukhruf 43:59) i.e.
with Our prophethood. “…and We made him an example to the Children of Israel (i.e. his creation without
a father).” (Soorah Az-Zukhruf 43:59) i.e. a proof of the perfection of Our Power over whatever We wish
since We created him from a female without the intervention of a male. We had created Hawwa’ from a
male without a female intervention and We created Adam without the intervention of either sex and We
created the rest of mankind through the intervention of a male and female as Allah mentions in other Verses:
“And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind,” (Soorah Maryam 19:21) i.e. a token and a proof of
Our magnificent Power “…and a mercy from Us (Allah),” with which We treat whom We wish.

Ibn Ishaq mentioned about Al-Akhnas Ibn Shareeq and the revelation of the Verse of Allah, Most High,
concerning him: “And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless.” (Soorah
AlQalam 68:10). He also mentioned Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah when he said: "Should the revelation
come down to Muhammad excluding us, I am also the chief of the Quraish and its leader and also excluding
Abu Mas‘ood ‘Amr Ibn ‘Amr Ath-Thaqafi, the leader of Thaqeef, and we are the masters of the two cities.
Then Allah revealed: “And they say: 'Why is not this Qur’an sent down to some great man of the two towns
(Makkah and Ta’if)'?” (Soorah Az-Zukhruf 43:31) and subsequent Verses.

He also mentioned Ubayy Ibn Khalaf when he said to 'Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu’ait: “Has it not reached me that
you had audience with Muhammad and you listened to him? My face and yours have become forbidden
and I shall not speak to you again if you sit with him or you give him audience except you spit in his face.”
And the enemy of Allah, 'Uqbah, did exactly that. May Allah's curse be on him! Then Allah revealed: “And
(remember) the day when the Zalim (wrongdoer, oppressor, and polytheist, etc.) will bite at his hands, he
will say: 'Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger (Muhammad). Ah! Woe to me! Would that
I had never taken so-and-so as a friend'!” (Soorah Al-Furqan 25:27,28) and subsequent Verses.

He also related that Ubayy Ibn Khalaf once went to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, with a decomposed bone and he said: “O Muhammad! You claim that Allah will resurrect this
after it has decomposed?” He then squeezed the bone in his hand and blew its dust in the direction of Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Then Allah revealed: “And he puts forth for Us a
parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: 'Who will give life to these bones when they have rotted
away and became dust?' Say: (O Muhammad) 'He will give life to them Who created them for the first time!
And He is the All-Knower of every creation'!” (Soorah Ya Seen 36:78,79) till the end of the Soorah.

While Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was circumambulating the Ka‘bah,
he was accosted by Al-Aswad Ibn Al-Muttalib, Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah, Umayyah Ibn Khalaf and
Al-‘Aas Ibn Wa’il all of them being the chiefs of their people. They said to him: “O Muhammad come; let’s
worship what you worship (for a while) and you also worship what we worship (for a while). We and you
shall enter into partnership concerning the matter.” Then Allah (SWT) revealed concerning them: “Say (O
72
Muhammad) to these Mushrikoon and Kafiroon): 'O Al-Kafiroon (disbelievers in Allah, in His Oneness, in
His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Resurrection, and in Al-Qadar, etc.)! I worship
not that which you worship'ah …” (SoorAl-Kafiroon 109:1, 2) till the end of the Soorah.

When Abu Jahl heard of the tree of Zaqqoom he said in derison: "Do you know what Zaqqoom is? It is a
type of date fruit beaten in butter. Come let’s savor some Zaqqoom!” Then Allah revealed: “Verily, the tree
of Zaqqoom will be the food of the sinners.” (Soorah Ad-Dukhan 44:43, 44)

Al-Waleed once stopped to have audience with Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, spoke to him about Islam and he
was hopeful of his conversion. Just then Ibn Umm Maktoom, Atikah Bint ‘Abullah Ibn ‘Ankathah, the
blind, came and requested to be taught the Qur’an. His interruption became unbearable for the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that he annoyed him. This is because he was distracted from his
discussion with Al-Waleed and the hope of his acceptance of Islam. When it was unbearable for him, Ibn
Umm Maktoom went away downcast. Then Allah revealed: “(The Prophet) frowned and turned away,
because there came to him the blind man (i.e. ‘Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktoom, who came to the Prophet
while he was preaching to one or some of the Quraish chiefs).” (Soorah ‘Abasa 80:1,2) It is also said that
the person with whom Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was discussing when
Ibn Umm Maktoom came was Umayyah Ibn Khalaf. And Allah (SWT) knows best.

Ibn Ishaq also mentioned that those who returned from Hijrah to Abyssinia came after the news reached
them that entire people of Makkah have accepted Islam. A false report, however, with an underlining reason,
which is what is recorded in the Saheeh and others that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, was once sitting with the polytheists and Allah revealed to him: “By the star when it goes down,
(or vanishes). Your Companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred” (Soorah An-Najm
53:1,2) and he recited it to them till the end and he prostrated and everyone present also prostrated among
the Muslims, polytheists, Jinns and men. That is the sababun-Nuzool (reason for revelation) adduced by
many scholars of Tafseer on the statement of Allah: “Never did We send a Messenger or a Prophet before
you, but; when he did recite the revelation or narrated or spoke, Shaitan (Satan) threw (some falsehood) in
it. But Allah abolishes that which Shaitan (Satan) throws in. Then Allah establishes His Revelations. And
Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.” (Soorah Al-Hajj 22:52)

He also mentioned the story of Al-Gharaneeq. We had wished to avoid mentioning it lest no one who will
accord it its rightful status hear it. Instead I relate only the story recorded in the Saheeh. Imam Al-Bukhari
related from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: “The Prophet performed a prostration when he finished reciting Soorah
An-Najm, and all the Muslims and pagans and Jinns and human beings prostration along with him.”

However, when the bearers of the news saw the pagans prostrated just like Allah’s Messenger (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him), they thought they had accepted Islam and reconciled with him and that
there exist no more strife between them. The news flew swiftly and wide until it reached the emigrants in
Abyssinia. Believing its authenticity, some of them returned with aspirations. However, some others
remained and both groups were sincere and correct in their individual judgment.

Imam Al-Bukhari related from ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood who said: “We used to greet the Messenger of Allah
while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting. But when we returned from the
Najashi we greeted him and he did not respond to us; so we said: "Messenger of Allah, we used to greet
you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us." He replied: "Prayer demands whole
attention."

Ibn Ishaq said that among those who entered into a pact of protection with them, based on those who were
mentioned to us, included ‘Uthman Ibn Maz’oon who was under the protection of Al-Waleed, Abu Salamah
Ibn Abdul-Asad was under the protection of his maternal uncle, Abu Talib, for his mother was Barrah Bint
Abdul-Muttalib.

73
Salih Ibn Ibrahim Ibn ‘Abdur Rahmaan Ibn ‘Awf narrated to me what he was told about ‘Uthman. He said:
When ‘Uthman Ibn Maz’oon observed what tribulation the Companions of Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, were going through and his own relative ease and comfort which he was
enjoying under the protection of Al-Waleed, he said: "By Allah, the ease and comfort that I enjoy under the
protection of a man from among the pagans while my compatriots and co-religionists languish in tribulation
and harm for the sake of Allah from which I am protected is a great minus for me." So he went to Al-Waleed
and said to him: “O Abu ‘Abd Shams, you have fulfilled your pact of protection. However, I am repudiating
that pact with you.” “Why, my nephew? Perhaps someone from my people has hurt you?” Al-Waleed asked.
“No,” ‘Uthman responded, “I am rather pleased with the protection of Allah, the Majestic. I do not wish to
enter into any security pact with anyone other than Him.” Al-Waleed said: “Then proceed to the Ka‘bah so
that I may retract my protection of you in public just as we entered into it publicly.”

So they both went out to the Ka‘bah. Then Al-Waleed announced: “This is ‘Uthman, he has come to
repudiate my protection of him!” ‘Uthman said: “Yes, he has spoken the truth. I have found him to be a
noble protector. However, I have decided not to seek the protection of anyone other than that of Allah. So
I have repudiated his protection of me.” Then ‘Uthman, May Allah be pleased with him, went away and
came upon a gathering where Labeed Ibn Rabee‘ah Ibn Malik Ibn Ja‘afar Ibn Kilab was delivering a poetic
rhyme. ‘Uthman sat with them. Labeed said (in a long rendition):

Everything besides Allah is null and void

‘Uthman interjected: “You have said the truth”

Labeed again said:

All comfort shall inevitably become transient

Again, ‘Uthman interjected: “You have lied, the comfort of Paradise is not transient.”

Labeed said: “O Quraish, nothing used to disturb your assembly, when did this commenced among you?!”
A man from the audience said: “This is one of the foolish ones who have abandoned our religion so don’t
be bothered by his statement.” ‘Uthman also responded to him until the altercation became heated between
both of them. The man rose up to ‘Uthman and slapped him in the eye in such a way that it became
bloodshot. Meanwhile, Al-Waleed was nearby watching what has befallen ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased
with him. He then said to him: “By Allah, O my nephew, what happened to your eye was avoidable. You
were in a protective pact.” ‘Uthman, may Allah be pleased wtih him, responded: “By Allah, the other good
eye would have craved for the fate that befell its twin eye in the cause of Allah. I am under the protection
of the One Who is far Mightier and more Powerful than you are, O Abu ‘Abd Shams.” Al-Waleed again
implored: “Come on, O my nephew, restore your pact of protection (with me).” “No!” ‘Uthman said
emphatically.

Ibn Ishaq said: Concerning Abu Salamah Ibn Abdul-Asad, Abu Ishaq Ibn Yasar narrated to me from
Salamah Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar Ibn Abu Salamah that he informed him that when Abu Salamah entered
into a protective understanding with his uncle, Abu Talib, a number of men from Banu Makhzoom went to
Abu Talib and said: “O Abu Talib, you protect from us, your nephew, Muhammad, how come you are also
protecting our own man from us?” Abu Talib replied: “He has sought my protection and he is my sister’s
son and if I unable to protect my sister’s son I should not be able to protect my brother’s son.” Abu Lahab
got up angrily and said: “You have been too lenient with this old man! Will you not cease to dote on this
man while he persists in the protection of his people? You will desist otherwise we shall stand up against
him wherever he goes until the matter reaches the point of his desire.”

A Mention of (Abu Bakr) As-Siddiq’s Resolve to Migrate to Abyssinia

Ibn Ishaq said that from what was narrated to me by Muhammad Ibn Muslim Az-Zuhri from ‘Urwah from
‘A’ishah is that when Makkah became constricted for Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and he suffered harm as well

74
as the relentless harassment on Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he sought
the permission of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to migrate to Abyssinia
and he permitted him. Abu Bakr set out on his Hijrah to Abyssinia. After a journey of a day or two from
Makkah he met Ibn Ad-Daghinah the brother of Banu Al-Harith Ibn Bakr Ibn ‘Abd Manat Ibn Kinanah
and at that time he was the chief of the Al-Ahabish. “Where are you going, O Abu Bakr?” he asked. “My
people have forced me out. They have harmed me and made life straightened for me.” Abu Bakr replied.
Ibn Daghinah said: “For what reason?! By Allah you have been graceful to kinsfolk and you have done so
much good and you have provided for those in want. Return for you shall henceforth be under my
protection.” Then Abu Bakr returned with him until they entered Makkah. Ibn Daghinah stood up with
Abu Bakr and said: “O Quraish! I have protected Ibn Abi Quhafah so no one should accost him except for
good.” So the pagans backed off from him.

‘A’ishah continued: “Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) had a mosque by the doorstep of his house
in Bani Jum‘ah where he usually prayed. He was an emotional person, so anytime he recited the Qur’an he
would weep. Children, slaves and women would gather round him in utter amazement concerning what
they are seeing of his mien. Some Quraish men went to Ibn Daghinah and said to him: “O Ibn Daghinah,
won’t you stop this man from disturbing us. He is an emotional man, whenever he prays and recites what
Muhammad has come with, he would weep and he has such a mien which we fear could be a source of trial
for our children, women and the weak among us. So approach him and order him to enter his house and do
whatever he likes therein.”

‘A’ishah continued: Ibn Daghinah went to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: “O Abu
Bakr, I did not offer you protection so that you disturb your people. They have objected to your praying at
your current location. So enter your house and do whatever you wish therein.” Abu Bakr, may Allah be
pleased with him, replied: “Perhaps I should repudiate your protection of me and prefer the protection of
Allah instead?” Ibn Daghinah said: “Then do so!” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I have
repudiated it.” Then Ibn Daghinah stood and announced: “O Quraish! Ibn Abi Quhafah has repudiated my
protection of him so you may do as you wish with your companion.”

The Mentioning of the Annulment of the Pact of Boycott

Ibn Ishaq said that the Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib still remained in their valley
excommunicated by a pact which they had written on a parchment with the Quraish. Then a number of
Quraish men rose with the intention of nullifying the pact of the boycott. The first person to make a
successful attempt was Hisham Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Rabee‘ah Al-Harith Ibn Hubayyib Ibn Nasr Ibn Jadhimah Ibn
Malik Ibn Hisl Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Lu’ayy who was very upset at the plight of his relatives. This is because he
was a cousin of Nadlah Ibn Hashim Ibn ‘Abd Manaf from the mother’s side. Thus, Hisham shared some
connection with the Banu Hashim. He was a noble person among his people, and according to what has
reached me, while Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib were in their valley, he would come with a
camel load of food. At the mouth of the valley, he would loosen the rein of the animal from its head and
then he would goad it from its side until the animal entered the valley so that the Banu Hashim and Banu
‘Abdul-Muttalib might find it and eat the food. Again, he would come with a camel laden with wheat and
he would behave in a similar manner as before.

Then he went to Zuhair Ibn Abi Umayyah Ibn Al-Mugheerah Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Makhzoom
whose mother was Atikah Bint ‘Abdul-Muttalib. He said: “O Zuhair, are you pleased that you eat food
comfortably, adorn yourself with cloth and sleep with women while your maternal uncles are, as you have
well- known, neither able to buy nor anyone buying from them; and neither are they being married nor are
they being married to?

"As for me, I swear by Allah, if it was the maternal uncles of Al-Hakam Ibn Hisham (i.e. Abu Jahl) that
were involved, and you invited him to the cause which he had invited you against your own maternal uncles,
he would never have responded to you.” He said: “Woe be unto you, O Hisham! What could I do? I am just
a single person. By Allah, if I had one other person with me (in that cause) I will rise for the nullification
of that boycott.” Zuhair said: “You have found that other person.” “And who is that?” Hisham asked.
“Myself,” Zuhair said and he added: “Find a third person for us.”
75
So he went to Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy' and said to him: “Are you pleased that your fellow tribesmen from
Banu ‘Abd Manaf are exterminated while you are a witness over that consenting with the Quraish on that?!
By Allah, if you allow them to do that, you will find them quicker to do the same to you!” He replied: “Woe
be to you! What can I do? I am just a lone person!” He said: “I have found a second person for you.” “Who
is that?” Al-Mut‘im asked. “Myself,” he answered. “Let’s search for the third person.” Al-Mut‘im said. “I
have done that,” he replied. “And who is that?” Al-Mut‘im asked. “Zuhair Ibn Abi Umayyah,” he replied.
“Then let’s search for the fourth.” He went to Abul-Bakhtari Ibn Hisham and said something similar to
what he said to Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy'. He replied: “Do you have anyone to lend support on that?” He
replied in affirmative. “Who is that?” he asked. “Zuhair Ibn Abi Umayyah, AlMut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy' and I am
also with you.” He said. “Find a fifth person for us.”

He went to Zam‘ah Ibn Al-Aswad Ibn Al-Muttalib Ibn Asad and spoke to him mentioning their blood
relation. Zam‘ah asked, “Is there any helper on this cause?” “Yes,” and he named the others. In the night,
they climbed the mountain of Khatm Al-Hajoom, at the upper part of Makkah where they assembled and
pledged to do their best to destroy the parchment. Zuhair volunteered to make the first move.

So the next morning when the clans have gathered in their various meeting places, Zuhair arrived at the
Ka‘bah, circumambulated it, and then turned to the people and shouted: “O People of Makkah! Shall we
eat food and wear clothes while Banu Hisham are left to perish, and no one buying from them or selling to
them? By Allah, I shall not sit down until that unjust pact is destroyed!” Abu Jahl said, “You are a liar! By
Allah, it will not be destroyed!” Zam‘ah interjected, “It is you who is a liar. By Allah, we have not been
pleased with it since it was written!” Abul-Bakhtari also said: “By Allah, Zam‘ah is telling the truth. We
are not pleased with what is written in it.” Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy' also lent his voice: “You are both right
and anybody who says otherwise is a liar.” Hisham Ibn ‘Amr also said something similar. Then Abu Jahl
said: “This conspiracy was hatched last night!” Meanwhile, Abu Talib was at a section of the Mosque
nearby watching the proceedings.

Al-Mut‘im moved toward the parchment to tear it up, but found that the worms had already eaten it except
the words: “In Your Name, O Allah.” The person who wrote the pact was Mansoor Ibn ‘Ikrimah and his
hand had become paralyzed as they claimed.

Ibn Hisham said some people of knowledge said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, once said to Abu Talib: “O my uncle! Allah has sent worms to ravage the parchment of the
Quraish and they left untouched any name belonging to Allah while they ate out all words indicative of
injustice, breaking ties (of kinship) and calumny.” Abu Talib asked, “Did your Lord inform you of this?”
“Yes,” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied. “By Allah, no one shall enter
upon you.” Then he went out to the Quraish and said to them: “O people of Quraish! My nephew has
informed me that such-and-such has happened to your parchment. Go and fetch your parchment. If it is as
he has said, then cease from excommunicating us and stand down from it. If he is proved to be false, I shall
surrender my nephew to you.” The Quraish said: “We are pleased with that (arrangement).” When they
looked into the parchment, they found it as Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
had related. However, that rather enhanced their enmity. Consequently, a group of men from the Quraish
did what they did in nullifying the pact.

I say: In the same year, after their return, Abu Talib died and then his Khadeejah Bint Khuwailid soon
afterward. May Allah be pleased with her. Details of that will be narrated shortly insha'Allah.

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, Allah have Mercy on him, after the cancellation of the boycott pact, narrated many
stories involving the enmity of the Quraish against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, and their scaring away of Arabs who have arrived in Makkah for Hajj and ‘Umrah or some other
purposes. The stories also include the miracles that Allah performed at the hands of the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, a pointer to his truthfulness concerning what he has brought to
them of clear proof, correct guidance and a refutation of what they have charged him of transgression,
enmity, deceit and chicanery. They also accused him of insanity, magic, sorcery and fabrication of lies. And

76
Allah has full Power and Control over His Affairs. He also mentioned the story of At-Tufail Ibn ‘Amr Ad-
Dawsi who was a leader that is obeyed and a nobleman of the tribe of Daws.

Imam Ahmad related from Abu Hurairah, who said: “When At-Tufail and his companions came to Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, he said: 'the tribe of Daws has disbelieved and has
belied you, ‘ whereupon he (Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)) said: 'O Allah
guide aright the tribe of Daws and direct them to me'.”

Imam Ahmad related on the authority of Jabir that Tufail, son of ‘Amr Ad-Dawsi, came to the Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: “Do you need strong, fortified protection?
The tribe of Daws had a fort in the pre-Islamic days.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, declined this offer, since it (the privilege of protecting the Holy Prophet) had already been
reserved for the Ansar. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, migrated
to Madinah, Tufail Ibn ‘Amr also migrated to that place, and there also migrated along with him a man of
his tribe. But the climate of Madinah did not suit him, and he fell sick. He felt very uneasy. So he took hold
of the iron head of an arrow and cut his finger joints. The blood gushed forth from his hands, till he died.
Tufail Ibn ‘Amr saw him in a dream. His state was good and he saw him with his hands wrapped. He
(Tufail) said to him: “What treatment did your Lord accord to you?” He replied. “Allah granted me pardon
for my migration to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.” He (Tufail) again
said: “Why do I see you wrapping up your hands?” He replied: “I was told (by Allah): ‘We would not set
right anything of yours which you damaged yourself'.” Tufail narrated this (dream) to the Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Upon this he prayed: “O Allah! Grant pardon even to his
hands.”

If it is said how do we reconcile between this Hadith and what is established in the Saheehain from the path
of Al-Hasan Ibn Jundab who narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
said: “Amongst the nations before you there was a man who got a wound, and growing impatient (with its
pain), he took a knife and cut his hand with it and the blood did not stop till he died. Allah said, ‘My Slave
hurriedly brought death upon himself so I have forbidden him (to enter) Paradise’.”

Response to this is multifaceted: It could be that it is because one was a non-Muslim while the other was a
Muslim. It is possible that his suicide action is independent of his admittance into Hellfire, rather, it was his
polytheism and Allah merely mentioned his suicide so that his people might take lesson from it.

It is possible that one was knowledgeable of the prohibition of suicide while the other was ignorant of it
due to his accepting Islam recently.

It is possible that one did it due to his permitting what Allah has prohibited while the other did not permit
it but did it in error.

It is possible that one did it with a clear intention of suicide but the other may not have intended suicide
when he did what he did.

It is possible that one has a paucity of righteous deeds so his few righteous deeds were insufficient to cancel
his great sin. Meanwhile, the other person had many righteous deeds which saved him from entering the
Fire and consequently Allah forgave him because of his migration to the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him. However, a blemish remained only on his hand and his remaining condition was good.
Thus that blemish was covered for him. When At-Tufail Ibn ‘Amr saw it covered, he asked him: “what
happened to you?!” and he said: “It was said to me: ‘We would not set right anything of yours which you
damaged yourself.’ When At-Tufail narrated his dream to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, he prayed for him saying: “O Allah! Grant pardon even to his hands.” i.e. correct what has
been damaged from him. It is undoubted that Allah accepted the supplication of Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him, for the companion of At-Tufail Ibn Amr.

77
The Story of ‘A’sha Banu Qais Ibn Tha‘labah
Ibn Hisham said: ‘A’sha Banu Qais Ibn Tha‘labah Ibn ‘Ukabah Ibn Sa’b Ibn Ali Ibn Bakr Ibn Wa’il went
to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, with the intention of accepting Islam.

Ibn Hisham said: When he got to Makkah or nearby, some of the pagans of Quraish accosted him and they
asked him about his affairs and he informed them that he came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, to accept Islam. They said to him: “O Abu Baseer, he forbids adultery” Al-‘A’sha
responded: “By Allah, that is exactly the issue I desire from him.” Again they said: “O Abu Baseer, he also
forbids intoxicant.” Al-‘A’sha replied: “concerning that, by Allah, I have never considered intoxicant a
necessity. I am abandoning it this year.” Then he came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, and accepted Islam. He went away and died the same year and he never returned to the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. This is how Ibn Hisham has related the story here and
he criticizes Muhammad Ibn Ishaq a lot, may Allah be pleased with him. This is one of the places where
Ibn Hisham, may Allah have Mercy on him, has criticized him because intoxication was prohibited in
Madinah after the incident of Banu Nadeer as shall be explained shortly. The decision of Al‘A’sha to
proceed to accept Islam occurred after the Hijrah and his poem is indicative of that when he said:

O you asking me to where I am headed

With the people of Yathrib I have a date

The proper flow according to Ibn Hisham is to delay the mentioning of the story till after the Hijrah rather
than mentioning it here now. And Allah (SWT) knows best.

The Story of the Wrestling of Rukanah and How He Sees the Tree Which the
Prophet Called and It Returned
Ibn Ishaq said: Abu Ishaq Ibn Yasar narrated to me that Rukanah Ibn Abd Yazeed Ibn Hashim Ibn
AlMuttalib Ibn ‘Abd Manaf was the strongest man of the Quraish. One day, he met Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in one of the pathways of Makkah and the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said to him: “O Rukanah, shouldn’t you fear Allah and accept what I am
inviting you to?” He replied, “If I knew that what you are saying is the truth, I would have followed you.”
Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. said to him: “If I am able to beat you
in a wrestling match would you believe that what I am saying is the truth?” “Yes,” Rukanah said confidently.
“Okay, stand up for a duel.”

Rukanah rose to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and they had a wrestling bout. The
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, felled him helplessly. He said: “Let’s do it
again, O Muhammad.” Then they had another round and again, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, threw him down. He said: “O Muhammad, this is surprising! You threw me?!” Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “There is something more astonishing than
that. I will show you if you would fear Allah (SWT) and obey my orders.” “What is that?” Rukanah asked.
“I will call, for you, this tree you are seeing and it will come to me.” Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, called the tree and then it approached until it stood in front of the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and he said to it: “Return to your position.” Then the
tree returned to its position.

He continued: Then Rukanah went to his people and said: “O Banu ‘Abd Manaf, by Allah, I have never
seen a person having a greater knowledge of magic than him (Muhammad).” Then he narrated to them what
he had seen and what he (the Prophet) had done. This is how Ibn Ishaq has related this story in a mursal
form with this wording. Abu Dawood and At-Tirmidhi have reported from the Hadith of AbulHasan Al-
Asqalani from Abu Ja‘afar Ibn Muhammad Ibn Rukanah from his father that Rukanah wrestled with the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon

78
him, threw him down. Then Imam At-Tirmidhi said: “That Hadith is ghareeb (strange). We do not know
Abu Al-Hasan or Ibn Rukanah."

I say: Abu Bakr ash-Shafi‘i has narrated with a good chain from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with
him, that Yazeed Ibn Rukanah wrestled with the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and
the Prophet threw him down thrice, each time upon a bet of one hundred goats. Upon throwing him down
the third time, he said: “O Muhammad, no one had ever pinned my back to the ground before you and no
one had been more hateful to me than you; now. I bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped (in
Truth) but Allah and that you are a Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, stood up from him and returned his goats.

Ibn Ishaq said: Whenever Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sat at the Ka‘bah,
some of the weak ones from his Companions – Khabbab, ‘Ammar, Abu Fukaihah, Yasar the freed slave of
Safwan Ibn Umayyah, Suhaib and some others among the Muslims, may Allah be pleased with them, would
sit with him, and the Quraish would poke fun at them. They would say to one another, “As you have seen,
these are his Companions. Are they the ones, of all of us, upon whom Allah has bestowed the favor of
guidance and true religion? If what Muhammad came with is of any good, none would have preceded us to
it and Allah would not have preferred them above us for it.” Then Allah revealed concerning them: “And
turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon seeking His Face. You are accountable
for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing, that you may turn them away, and thus
become of the Zalimun (unjust). Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: 'Is it
these (poor Believers) that Allah has favored from among us?' Does not Allah know best those who are
grateful? When those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, Verses, lessons, Signs and revelations,
etc.) come to you, say: 'Salamun ‘Alaikum' (peace be on you); your Lord has written Mercy for Himself, so
that, if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying
Allah), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Soorah Al-An‘am 6:52-54)

He continued: Most of the times, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would sit
at the Marwah hillock by the sales point of a Christian boy called, Jabr, a slave of the Banu Al-Hadrami.
The Quraish would say: “By Allah, no one taught Muhammad much of what he came with except Jabr.
Thus, Allah revealed concerning their insinuations: “And indeed We know that they (polytheists and
pagans) say: 'It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad).' The tongue of the man they refer to
is foreign, while this (the Qur’an) is a clear Arabic tongue.” (Soorah An-Nahl 16:103)

Then he mentioned the revelation of Soorah Al-Kawthar concerning ‘Aas Ibn Wa’il when he said regarding
the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that he is "Abtar" i.e. bereft of a
successor such that when he dies, remembrance of him will also cease. Thus Allah says: “For he who makes
you angry (O Muhammad), - he will be cut off (from every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter).”
(Soorah Al-Kawthar 108:3) i.e. his remembrance will be cut after him even if he is succeeded by large
offsprings and descendants. Good reputation and truthful tongue (in praise) is not a function of large
children, progenies and successors. We have spoken about this Soorah in the Tafseer; to Allah belongs all
praise.

Thereafter, he mentioned the revelation of the statement: “And they say: 'Why has not an angel been sent
down to him?' Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have been judged at once.” (Soorah AlAn‘am
6:8) This is as a result of the statement of Ubayy Ibn Khalaf, Zam‘ah Ibn Al-Aswad, Al-‘Aas Ibn Wa’il and
An-Nadr Ibn Al-Harith; that "why has not an angel been sent down to you speaking on your behalf?”

Ibn Ishaq said: According the report reaching us, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, once met Al-Waleed, Umayyah Ibn Khalaf and Abu Jahl. They incited and made fun of him. The
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was infuriated and Allah revealed: “And
indeed (many) Messengers were mocked before you, but their scoffers were surrounded by the very thing
that they used to mock at.” (Soorah Al-An‘am 6: 10)

79
I say: Allah says: “Verily, (many) Messengers were rejected before you (O Muhammad), but with patience
they bore the rejection, and they were hurt, till Our Help reached them, and none can alter the Words
(Decisions) of Allah. Surely there has reached you the information (news) about the Messengers (before
you).” (Soorah Al-An‘am 6: 34)

Allah, Most High, also says: “Truly! We will suffice you against the scoffers.” (Soorah Al-Hijr 15:95)

Ibn Ishaq said: The chiefs of the mockers were five, as narrated to me by Yazeed Ibn Rooman from ‘Urwah
Ibn Az-Zubair. They were elderly and noble men of their people. They were: Al-Aswad Ibn AlMuttalib,
Abu Zam‘ah whom Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, cursed thus, “O Allah!
Take his sight and try him with his child.” Others were Al-Aswad Ibn ‘Abd Yaghooth, AlWaleed, Al-‘Aas
Ibn Wa’il and Al-Harith Ibn At-Tulatilah. He also related that Allah revealed this Verse concerning them:
“Therefore proclaim openly (Allah’s Message Islamic Monotheism) that which you are commanded, and
turn away from Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, and disbelievers, etc.). Truly! We will suffice you
against the scoffers. Who set up along with Allah another ilah (god), they will come to know.” (Soorah Al-
Hijr 15:94-96)

At this point, Imam Al-Baihaqi mentioned the curse of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him, on the Quraish when they defied him that they should be afflicted with seven years of famine
and starvation similar to that of Yoosuf. Then he cited what is related by the Sheikhain in the Saheehain
from Ibn Mas‘ood. He said: “Five (great events) have passed: the constant Punishment, the (victory of the)
Romans, the (Enveloping) by the Smoke, the Mighty grasp and the splitting of the moon.”

In another narration from Ibn Mas‘ood, he said: When the Quraish became defiant of Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, and they tarried in their acceptance of Islam, he said: “O Allah,
afflict them with seven years of famine similar to that of Yoosuf.” Then they were afflicted with famine for
a year until everything became desolate till they ate carcass until they would see something like smoke
between the sky and the Earth (because of severe hunger). Then he prayed and Allah relieved them of it.
Then ‘Abdullah recited this Verse: “Verily, We shall remove the torment for a while. Verily! You will
revert.” (Soorah Ad-Dukhan 44:15) Thereafter, they reverted and disbelieved and it (the punishment) was
delayed for them till the Day of Resurrection or they said: the Battle of Badr. It is also related through
‘Abdur-Razzaq from Ma‘mar from Ayyoob from ‘Ikrimah from Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “Abu Sufyan came
to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, to seek his assistance due to severe hunger
for they had found nothing (to eat) until they ate dyed wool.”

Then Allah revealed: “And indeed We seized them with punishment, but they humbled not themselves to
their Lord, nor did they invoke (Allah) with submission to Him.” (Soorah Al-Mu’minoon 23:76) (He
continued:) “Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, supplicated until Allah
relieved them.”

Then, Al-Baihaqi cited the story of Persia and the Romans and the revelation of the statement of Allah:
“Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows
their meanings]. The Romans have been defeated. In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine),
and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before
and after (these events) is only with Allah, (before the defeat of Romans by the Persians, and after, i.e. the
defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that Day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the
victory given by Allah to the Romans against the Persians), With the help of Allah, He helps whom He
wills, and He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.” (Soorah Ar-Room 30:1-5)

Then it is also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: The Muslims desired that the Romans should vanquish
the Persians for they were the People of the Book while the pagans desired that the Persians vanquish the
Romans for they were idol worshippers (like them). The Muslims mentioned this to Abu Bakr who, in turn,
mentioned it to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him, said: “They (the Romans) shall certainly be victorious.” Abu Bakr mentioned that to
the pagans and they said: “Let there be a (bet for a) period (of time) between us and you, if they (the

80
Romans) win, such and such shall be yours and if we are victorious, such and such shall be ours.” Abu Bakr
mentioned that too to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, and he said: “Why don’t
you make it less than ten years?” He said: In less than ten years, the Romans were eventually victorious
thereafter.

The Journey by Night of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be

upon him, from Makkah to Jerusalem and then his ascension there from to
the heavens
Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaibah related from ‘Uthman from Sa‘eed Ibn Meena from Jabir and Ibn ‘Abbas both
of whom said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was born in the year of the
elephant on Tuesday, 12th day of Rabee‘ ul- Awwal. He was raised a Prophet in Rabee‘ ul-Awwal, in the
same month, he was taken to the heaven same month, he died in the same month, migrated same month,
died same month and in the same revelation ceased. This is the preference of Al-Hafiz Abdul-Ghani Ibn
Suroor Al-Maqdisi in his Seerah. He cited a Hadith with inauthentic chain of narrations which we mentioned
in "the virtues of the month of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal" that Al-Isra Wal-Mi‘raj occurred in the 27th night of
Rajab. And Allah knows best. There are those who claim that Al-Isra occurred in the first night of Jumu‘ah
in the month of Rajab. It is the night of Ragha’ib in which the popular Salat is established; however, there
is no basis for that. And Allah knows best.

We have mentioned the Ahadeeth cited concerning that during the study of the statement of Allah: Glorified
(and Exalted) be He (Allah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him]. Who took His slave
(Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in
Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of
Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (Soorah Al-
Isra 17:1)

We shall mention briefly what Ibn Ishaq said, Allah have Mercy on him. He said, after all he mentioned in
the previous sections: “Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was taken by
night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to the Masjid Al-Aqsa at Bait Al-Maqdis in Jeruasalem. The news of Islam
had spread among the Quraish in Makkah and all the tribes. (He continued), from what has reached me
about his journey was related from Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Sa‘eed, ‘A’ishah, Mu‘awiyyah, Umm Hani Bint Abu
Talib, Allah be pleased with them all; and Al-Hasan Ibn Abul-Hasan, Ibn Shihab Az-Zuhri, Qatadah and
others from among the people of knowledge all of them narrating from him some of what I have been
informed of about him.

His journey and what has been related to me about it, of some tests and tribulations, some of the commands
of Allah, (the Greatness of His) Power and His Authority and a lesson for the men of understanding. He
was taken by night in manner that Allah wished and in a manner that He chose to let him see what He
wished from some of His Signs in such a way that he made him view some of the ordainments of Allah,
His Magnificent Authority and His Power with which He does whatever He wills. Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood,
from what reached me, said: “Al-Buraq, was brought for Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him. Al-Buraq is an animal on which the Messengers of Allah rode. Each stride of the animal
reaches the furthest point of its sight. The Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was carried
on it and set out along with his companion to see some of the signs between the heaven and the Earth until
they got to Bait Al-Maqdis. There, he found Ibrahim, Moosa and ‘Eesa among a group of Prophets that
have gathered to welcome him. He led them in Salat and then he was brought three vessels each containing
milk, an intoxicant and water. It was mentioned that the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him,
drank from the vessel of water and Jibraeel said to him: “You were guided and your nation will also be
guided.”

Ibn Ishaq related, from the information that reached him from Umm Hani that she said: “The Messenger of
Allah was not taken by night (Isra) from anywhere other than my house. He slept in my house that night
after he had offered the late night prayer (Isha’). When it neared the time of Fajr (daybreak), he woke us.

81
When he rose, he offered the morning (Subh) prayers and we offered it with him then he said: “O Umm
Hani’! I had prayed the late night prayer (Isha’) with you in this valley then I was taken to Bait Al-Maqdis
and I prayed there and now I just offered the morning prayer with you as you have observed.” Then he
stood up to leave, I held the edge of his cloth and I said: "O Prophet of Allah, do not narrate this to people
so that they may not belie you and insult you.” He said: “By Allah, I am going to narrate it to them.” So he
informed them and they belied him. He said to them: “The proof of that is that I met the caravan of such-
and- such clan in such-and-such valley. I startled them and a camel bolted away and I directed them to it
while I was on my way to Ash-Sham. Then I retuned until I reached Dajnan (a mountain located in the
direction of Tihamah), I met the caravan of such- and-such clan and I found the people in it asleep. There
was a vessel containing water which they covered with something. I lifted the lid of the container and drank
its content and I replaced the cover as it was. The evidence of that is that their caravan is desceding right
now from the mountain path of Tan‘eem at its vanguard is an ash-colored camel. On its back are two wooden
containers, one of them black in color and the other a mixture of white and black color.” The people
hastened toward the mountain pass and the camel that they first met was not the one described to them.
They asked them about the water container and the camel and they were informed about them just as Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, had told them.

Ibn Ishaq said: It is narrated to me that Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri said: I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him, say: “When I finished with what transpired at Bait Al-Maqdis, I was taken
on Mi‘raj (ascension to the heaven) and I did not see anything more beautiful. This is the same place to
which your dead soar at the point of death. My companion raised me onto it until we ended up at one of the
gates of heaven called ‘Bab ul-Hafazah’ under the charge of an angel called Isma’eel. Under him are twelve
thousand angels and under each of those twelve thousand angels were another twelve thousand angels.

He continued: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, would say when he narrates
this Hadith: “And none can know the hosts of your Lord but He.” (Soorah Al-Muddaththir 74:31) Then he
related the remainder of the Hadith completely which is an extremely long one with his chain of narrations
and wordings in his Tafseer. We discussed it at length for it is one of the ghareeb (strange) Ahadeeth and
there is a weakness in its chain of narrations. This is also same in the Hadith of Umm Hani. The well-
established version is the one in the Saheehain from the narration of Shareek Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Namir
from Anas that the Night Journey was from the Masjid Al-Haram at the Hijr (Isma‘eel). There are some
oddities in its wordings from some angles. From the strangeness in this report is his statement: “That (the
journey) took place before revelation was sent to him.” The response is that the first time they came was
before revelation was sent to him and in that night nothing really happened. Then the angels came once
again on another night and he said nothing concerning that. That was prior to the revelation (of the Qur’an)
to him. Rather, he came to him after revelation had commenced. The Isra occurred either a little after (the
commencement of) Inspiration as claimed by some or much after with about ten years as claimed by others
and this is the most popular view. The washing of his chest that night before the Isra was the second or
third, according to an opinion. This is because his attention is required at the sublime company and the
presence of Allah. Then he rode Al-Buraq as a measure of elevation, esteem and honor for him. When he
got to Bait Al-Maqdis he tethered it to a loop which previous Prophets had also tethered it.

Then he entered the Bait Al-Maqdis and offered Salat in its Qiblah as (tahiyyah) greeting for mosque.
Hudhaifah, Allah be pleased with him, objects to (the report) that he entered Bait Al-Maqdis and the
tethering of the animal and his Salat therein, saying that this is odd and an affirming evidence is preferred
over a negating one.

They also disagree on the timing of his congregating with the Prophets and his leading them in prayer
whether that occurred before his ascension to the heaven as pointed out by all that came before or after his
descension from the heaven as indicated by some of the versions which appears to be a more logical
transition as we shall mention shortly. Two opinions can be gleaned on this. And Allah knows best.

When he concluded the affairs of the Bait Al-Maqdis, a stairway was set up for him. He climbed it till he
reached the heavens. The ascension was not on the Buraq as mistakenly supposed by some people. Rather,

82
Al-Buraq had been tethered at the entrance of the Mosque of Bait Al-Maqdis so that he may ride it on his
return journey back to Makkah.

He climbed from one heaven to another in his ascension until he passed the fourth. Each time he got to a
heaven, he met its companions and those residing there among the senior angels and Prophets. He
mentioned the specific Prophets he met such as Adam in the heaven closest to the Earth; Yahya and ‘Eesa
in the second heaven; Idrees in the fourth; Moosa in the sixth based on what is more authentic; he met
Ibrahim in the seventh heaven reclining his back against Bait Al-Ma‘mur in which 70,000 angels enter
everyday to offer Salat and circumambulate in the worship (of Allah). Each 70,000 will not return to it until
the Day of Resurrection. He passed by the rank-and-file of the angels until he got to a level where he heard
the sound of pens, writing. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was raised to the
Sidrat Al-Muntaha which is a tree, the size of its leave measuring the ear of an elephant and the dimension
of its Nabk fruit is like that of the clay jugs of Hajar (i.e. a town in Arabia). It is shrouded in resplendent
and magnificent colors. The angels climb it like crows owing to their numbers. Its floor is of gold and it is
enveloped in the radiance of Allah’s Light. He saw there Jibraeel, peace be upon him, with 600 wings and
the distance between two of his wings is like the distance between the heaven and the Earth.

This is what Allah mentioned (in the Qur’an): “And indeed he (Muhammad) saw him (Jibraeel) at a second
descent (i.e. another time). Near Sidrat ul-Muntaha [lote-tree of the utmost boundary (beyond which none
can pass)]. Near it is the Paradise of Abode. When that covered the lote-tree which did cover it! The sight
(of Prophet Muhammad) turned not aside (right or left), nor it transgressed beyond (the) limit (ordained for
it). Indeed he (Muhammad) did see, of the Greatest Signs, of his Lord (Allah).” (Soorah AnNajm 53:13-
17)

That is, he neither turned right nor left and he did not raise his gaze beyond the limit set for him. This is a
great approval for him and a noble manner. This marks the second time he would see Jibraeel in the actual
form in which Allah has created him as reported by Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Hurairah, Abu Dharr and ‘A’ishah.
Allah be pleased with them all.

The first time is indicated by the statement of Allah: “He has been taught (this Qur’an) by one mighty in
power (Jibraeel). Dhu Mirrah (free from any defect in body and mind), Fastawa [then he (Jibraeel) rose and
became stable]. While he (Jibraeel) was in the highest part of the horizon, Then he (Jibraeel) approached
and came closer, And was at a distance of two bows’ length or (even) nearer, So did (Allah) convey the
Inspiration to His slave (Muhammad through Jibraeel).” (Soorah An-Najm [53]:5-10)

That was when he saw him on the horizon when Jibraeel approached Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him, in his gargantuan creation spanning the space between the heaven and the Earth. He
came close to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, till the distance between them
was no more than the span of two bows or even closer. This is the more authentic tafseer as indicated by
the words of senior Companions whose names had been mentioned previously. May Allah be pleased with
them all.

However, concerning the statement of Shareek reported from Anas on the Hadith of Al-Isra: “then the
Omnipotent Lord of Honor came close and was at a distance of two bows’ length or (even) nearer,” it is
possible that this is the understanding of the narrator and he interpolated it into the Hadith. And Allah knows
best. Even though it is preserved yet it is not the tafseer of the Verse; rather it is something else not indicated
by the Verse. And Allah (SWT) knows best.

That night, Allah (SWT) made obligatory on His servant, Muhammad, peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him, and on his Ummah, Salawat (prayers) to be offered 50 times every day and night. Then he did not
cease going back and forth between Moosa and Allah, the Lord Almighty, until Allah reduced them to five;
to Him belong gratitude and grace. And He (Allah) said: “It is five (but they shall equal) fifty (in reward).
Good deeds are multiplied ten fold.”

83
That night, he also obtained the honor of being spoken to directly by Allah Almighty. The Imams of Sunnah
are categorical concerning that. However, they disagree on the sighting (of Allah). Did Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, see his Lord on the night of ascension? Some of them said he saw
Him with his heart twice. This is the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas and a group (of scholars). Ibn ‘Abbas and others
were categorical about the seeing of the Almighty. Among those who were also categorical about the
Prophet’s seeing of Allah were Abu Hurairah, Ahmad Ibn Hambal, may Allah be pleased with both of them.
There are those who declare that the seeing was with the two eyes. This is the preferred opinion of Ibn
Jareer and he went to the extreme in it. Others also followed him among the later scholars. From those
recorded to hold the opinion of seeing with the physical eyes was Sheikh AbulHasan Al-Ash‘ari from what
was related from him by As-Suhaili. This is also the preferred opinion of Shaikh Abu Zakariyya An-Nawawi
in his fatawa.

Another group argues that that (i.e. the physical seeing) did not happen based on the Hadith of Abu Dharr
in Saheeh Muslim: “I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him: ‘Did you
see your Lord?’ He said: ‘He is a Light, how could I see Him'?” In yet another version: “I saw Light.”

They argued further: It is not a seeing with the mortal eyes. This is why Allah said to Moosa, according to
what is related in some Divine books: “O Moosa, no living person shall see Me except that he dies and no
dry thing except that it is pulverized.” The divergence (of opinion) on this matter is well-known among the
predecessors and the successors. And Allah knows best.

Thereafter, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, descended to Bait Al-Maqdis. A
popular view is that the Prophets descended with him on his return from the presence of Allah as a mark of
honor and esteem as is customary of delegates. He did not meet any one of them before his invitation to the
heaven. That is why whenever he met any one of the Prophets, Jibraeel would say to him when that person
approached to offer Salam (greeting): "This is so-and-so, say Salam to him." If he had met them prior to his
ascension, there would have been no need for introducing them to him the second time. From what is
indicative of that is his statement that: “When it was time for prayers, I led them.”

He witnessed that night, scenes from the Signs of Allah, that if someone other than him were to see a part
of it, he would wake up dazed or in a giddy mental state. However, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, woke up in a calm state fearful that if he informed his people about what he saw,
they would hasten to call him a liar. Cautiously, he first told them that he went to Bait Al-Maqdis same
night. It is related that Abu Jahl, may Allah’s curse be upon him, saw Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, in the Masjid Al-Haram sitting quietly. He said to him: “Do you have any
news?” The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, of Allah replied: “Yes.” “What is the
news?” Abu Jahl asked. “I was taken by night to Bait Al-Maqdis,” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, told him. “Bait Al-Maqdis?!” Abu Jahl asked in astonishment. “Yes,” the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied calmly. Abu Jahl asked him, “If I gather your
people so that you may inform them, would you repeat what you have just told me?” Again, the Prophet,
peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, answered: “Yes.” Abu Jahl intended to gather the Quraish so that
they may hear that from him and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, also wanted
them to gather so as to inform them of same and to deliver the message to them. So Abu Jahl said loudly:
“Come around, O men of Quraish!” When they gathered into an assembly, he said to the Prophet, peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him: “Tell them what you have just told me.” Then Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, narrated to them the story of what he saw and that he went to Bait Al-
Maqdis that night and prayed therein. Some of them clapped in bewilderment and others hissed indicating
the remoteness of the truth of what he said.

The news of the story went round Makkah and some people came to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with
him, and informed him that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said such-andsuch. He
said, “You are telling lie against him.” They said: “By Allah, he actually said so.” Then Abu Bakr said: “If
he really said that, then he has told the truth.”

84
Then he came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while the pagans of Quraish
were surrounding him. He asked him about the story and he informed him. He sought from him the
description of Bait Al-Maqdis so that the pagans may hear it and thereby see the truth of his claim. However,
it is recorded in the Saheeh that it is the pagans who asked Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, that. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I kept
informing them of the description and certain things became unclear to me and then Allah showed me the
picture of Bait Al-Maqdis till I was looking at it as if it was just less farther than the house of ‘Aqeel. So I
described it to them.” They said: “As for the description, it is correct.”

Ibn ‘Abbas said: It is a physical seeing which Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him,
was made to see. This is the opinion of the majority among the predecessors and the successors that the Isra
was in body and soul as pointed out by the literal narration of his riding and climbing in his ascension. Thus,
Allah says: “Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him]. Who
took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest
mosque (in Jerusalem).” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:1)

Glorification is done at the occurrence of a great supernatural sign. That is an indication that the journey
occurred in body and soul and the "slave" is an expression of both. Also, if it had been in dream, the pagans
of Quraish would not have hastened to deny and reject it since there is nothing really spectacular about it
i.e. traveling in dream. This indicates that it was in a wakeful state and not in his sleep.

Ibn Ishaq narrated: Some of the family of Abu Bakr narrated to me from ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the
Believers, that she used to say: “The body of Allah’s Messenger was not missed but Allah took him by the
soul (on the journey).”

In the morning of the night of Isra, Jibraeel came to him at the time of the declension of the midday sun and
explained to him the manner of prayer and its timing. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, commanded that his Companions should gather and Jibraeel led him (in the prayers of) that day
till the next and the Companions follow the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while he in
turn followed Jibraeel as cited in the Hadith narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas and Jabir: “Jibraeel led me in prayer
at the House (i.e. the Ka‘bah) twice.” He also explained to him the two timings (of each Salat) the beginning
and the end times. Both times and the time in between are the timing of each Salat but he did not mention
any intervening timing for the Maghreb prayer. This has been established in the Hadith of Abu Moosa,
Buraidah and ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr, all which is related in Saheeh Muslim.

As regards what is recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhari from ‘A’ishah that she said: “The prayer was prescribed
as consisting of two rak‘ahs, (both) when one was resident and when traveling. The prayer while traveling
was left according to the original prescription and the prayer of the one who was resident was increased.”

Awza’i also narrated a similar thing from Az-Zuhri and Ash-Sha‘bi from Masrooq.

There is somewhat ambiguity for the fact that ‘A’ishah used to offer her prayer in full while on a journey;
same goes for ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan. We have spoken on that when discussing the statement of Allah:

“And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten your Salat (prayer) if
you fear that the disbelievers may attack you, verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies.”
(Soorah An-Nisa’ 4:101)

Imam Al-Baihaqi said: Al-Hasan Al-Basri holds the opinion that in the prayer of a resident the first to be
made obligatory was four rak‘ahs as mentioned in mursal form concerning his prayer the morning of the
night of ascension. Zuhr was ordained four (rak‘ahs); so also was ‘Asr. As for Maghreb, three rak‘ahs were
ordained with a loud recitation in the first two. Isha’ is four with a loud recitation in the first two rak‘ahs
and two rak‘ahs were ordained for Subh and recitation in both is loud.

I say: Perhaps ‘A’ishah intended that the prayer used to be offered in two rak‘ahs before the ascension.
Thereafter, when the five daily prayers were ordained, the prayer of a resident was left according to the
85
original prescription while a concession was given that the prayer on a journey be offered in two rak‘ahs as
it were in the early time. Against the backdrop of this, all ambiguities are dispelled. And Allah knows best.

The Splitting of the Moon in the Time of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of
Allah be Upon Him
Allah, Most High, says: The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder (the people of
Makkah requested Prophet Muhammad to show them a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the
moon). And if they see a sign, they turn away, and say: “This is continuous magic.” They belied (the Verses
of Allah, this Qur’an), and followed their own lusts. And every matter will be settled [according to the kind
of deeds (for the doer of good deeds, his deeds will take him to Paradise, and similarly evil deeds will take
their doers to Hell)]. (Soorah Al-Qamar 54:1-3)

The Muslims are agreed upon the occurrence of that during his time. A number of Ahadeeth have been
reported concurrently concerning that from various routes in such a way that they denote decisiveness in
the view of the one who comprehends that and reflects on it. We shall mention as much as possible, if Allah
wills.

Anas reported (that): “The people of Makkah demanded that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him, show them (some) signs (miracles) and he splitted the moon in Makkah twice.” He
recited: “The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder.” (Soorah Al-Qamar 54:1)

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated: “The moon was split into two parts during the lifetime of the Prophet.” Related by Al-
Bukhari and Muslim.

Al-Hafiz Abu Nu‘aim reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said concerning the Verse: “The Hour has drawn near, and
the moon has been cleft asunder” that “the polytheists gathered in the presence of Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him. Among them were Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah, Abu Jahl, Al-‘As
Ibn Wa’il, Al-‘As Ibn Hisham, Al-Aswad Ibn ‘Abd Yaghooth, Al-‘As Ibn Al-Muttalib, Zam‘ah Ibn Al-
Aswad, Nadhr Ibn Al-Harith and their cohorts. They said to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him: “If indeed you are truthful, then split the moon into two halves for us; one half over Abu Qubays
and the other half above Qu’ayqi’an.” The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to them:
“If I do so will you believe?” they replied in affirmative. It was on a night of a full moon and Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked Allah to grant him what they had requested.
The moon splitted into two halves; one half on Abu Qubays and the other on Qu’ayqi’an. Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, called out: “O Aba Salamah Ibn ‘Abd Al-Asad and
Al-Arqam Ibn Al-Arqam bear witness (to this)!”

The Death of Abu Talib, the uncle of Allah’s Messenger and soon after,
Khadeejah Bint Khuwaiylid, the wife of Allah’s Messenger
Ibn Ishaq said: Then Khadeejah and Abu Talib died the same year. With the death of Khadeejah, calamities
befell Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in quick succession. She had been to
him a solace to which he took recourse in times of trial. Coupled with that was the death of his uncle, Abu
Talib. He had been to him a prop and a fortress in his affairs, a protection and a helper against his people.
These deaths occurred three years before his migration to Madinah. When Abu Talib died, the Quraish were
able to inflict such harm on Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, which they were
not able in the lifetime of Abu Talib. One of the foolish ones among the Quraish once stood in his way and
threw dust on his head.

Hisham Ibn ‘Urwah narrated to me from his father who said: “Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, returned to his house with sand on his head. One of his daughters rose to wash it while
she wept. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said: “Do not weep my daughter

86
for Allah will protect your father.” Meanwhile, he was also saying as well: “The Quraish were not able to
inflict anything detestable to me until Abu Talib died.”

Ibn Ishaq related that Ibn ‘Abbas said: when some noblemen of the Quraish went to Abu Talib, among
whom were ‘Utbah Ibn Rabee‘ah, Shaibah Ibn Rabee‘ah, Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham, Umayyah Ibn Khalaf, Abu
Sufyan Ibn Harb, they said to him: “O Abu Talib! You know your position among us and now in your
current situation, we are deeply concerned about you. You know the problems between us and your nephew.
Summon him and let us make a bargain that he will leave us alone and we will leave him alone; let him
have his religion and we will have ours.”

When he came, Abu Talib said: “O my nephew, here are notables of your people who have gathered so as
to give and take from you.” “Yes,” he began, “let you (all) give me one word by which you can rule the
Arabs and subject the non-Arabs to you.” “Yes, by your father, and ten words,” Abu Jahl said. “Say none
deserves to be worshipped except Allah and renounce what you worship besides Him.” They clapped their
hands in disbelief and said: “Do you want to make all the gods into one, O Muhammad? That is an
extraordinary matter!” Then they said to one another: “This man will not give you anything that you want,
so go and be with the religion of your ancestors until Allah judges between you and him.” So they left.

Abu Talib said to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “By Allah, O nephew, I do not
think you have asked them something too much.” On hearing this, the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, wished that he would embrace Islam, and he said at once, “O uncle, say it,
and I shall ask (my Lord) to make it lawful (for me) because of it to intercede for you on the Day of
Resurrection.” Seeing the Prophet’s enthusiasm, he said: “Were it not that I am afraid that you and your
family would be disgraced after my death and that the Quraish would think that I had only said it in fear of
death, I would say it. I am not saying it but for pleasing you with it.” As his death was approaching, Al-
‘Abbas found Abu Talib moving his lips, so he put his ear close to him and said, “O nephew, by Allah, my
brother has spoken the word you ordered him to say.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, said: “I did not hear it.”

Allah (SWT) revealed concerning the group (of Quraish noblemen) that met Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him: “Saad [These letters (sad, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and
none but Allah (Alone) Knows their meanings]. By the Qur'an full of reminding (explanations and honor
for the one who believes in it). Nay, those who disbeliever are in false pride and opposition.” (Soorah Saad
88:1-2)

Concerning the death of Khadeejah and a mention of some of her excellence

and virtues
Certainly He has done that with the declaration of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
when he gave her the tiding of a house in Paradise made of jewel in which there is neither tumult nor fatigue.
Al-Baihaqi said: It reached me that Khadeejah died three days after Abu Talib. Abu ‘Abdullah Ibn Mandah
mentioned this in his book Al-Ma‘rifah as well as our Sheikh, Abu ‘Abdullah Al-Hafiz.

Imam Al-Bukhari related that Abu Hurairah narrated that Jibraeel came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him, and said: “O Allah’s Messenger! This is Khadeejah coming to you with a
dish having Idam or some food or drink. When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (i.e. Allah)
and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a Qasab palace in Paradise wherein there will be
neither any noise nor any fatigue (trouble).” Imam Muslim also related it.

Imam Al-Bukhari also related that Isma‘eel reported: "I said to ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi ‘Awfa: 'Did Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, give glad tidings of Paradise to Khadeejah?' He said:
'Yes. He did give glad tidings to her of a palace of jewels in Paradise wherein there would be no noise and
no fatigue'.”

87
Narrated ‘A’ishah, Allah be pleased with her: “I never felt so jealous of any wife of the Prophet as I did of
Khadeejah because Allah’s Messenger used to remember and praise her too often and because it was
revealed to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that he should give her
(Khadeejah) the glad tidings of her having a palace of Qasab in Paradise and whenever he slaughtered a
sheep, he would send some part to the women friends of Khadeejah.” This is Al-Bukhari’s wordings.

‘A’ishah reported that Halah Bint Khuwailid (sister of Khadeejah) sought permission from Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to see him and he was reminded of Khadeejah’s
(manner of) asking leave to enter and (was overwhelmed) with emotions thereby and said: ‘O Allah, it is
Halah, ‘ and I felt jealous and said: ‘Why do you remember one of those old women of the Quraish with
gums red and who is long dead while Allah has given you a better one in her stead'?”

There is a clear affirmation that ‘A’ishah is more pre-eminent over Khadeejah either in virtues or in intimacy
since he neither objected to her statement nor refuted her as is evident in the wordings of AlBukhari, Allah
have Mercy on him.

The Prophet’s Marriage to ‘A’ishah Bint Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and Sawdah
Bint Zam‘ah
The more authentic opinion is that he married ‘A’ishah first as shall be mentioned shortly. Al-Bukhari
related in the chapter of "The marriage of ‘A’ishah" from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, said to her: “You were shown to me twice (in my dream). I saw you in a silken piece of
cloth, and I said to him, ‘Uncover (her), ‘ and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), ‘If this is from Allah,
then it must happen'.”

Al-Bukhari related from ‘A’ishah that she said: “I said, 'O Allah’s Messenger! Suppose you landed in a
valley where there is a tree of which something has been eaten and then you found trees of which nothing
has been eaten, of which tree would you let your camel graze?' He said, '(I will let my camel graze) of the
one of which nothing has been eaten before'.” (The sub-narrator added: ‘A’ishah meant that Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had not married a virgin besides herself.) AlBukhari
exclusively related it.

Al-Bukhari related from ‘Urwah that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked
Abu Bakr for ‘A’ishah’s hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said “But I am your brother.” The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “You are my brother in Allah’s Religion and His Book, but she
(‘A’ishah) is lawful for me to marry.”

Al-Bukhari related from Hisham Ibn ‘Urwah who reported from his father that: Khadeejah died three year
before the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, departed to Madinah. He stayed there for
two years or so and then he married ‘A’ishah when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated
that marriage when she was nine years old.

Al-Bukhari related that ‘A’ishah narrated: “The Prophet married me when I was a girl of six (years). We
went to Madinah and stayed at the home of Bani Al-Harith Ibn Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell off.
Later on, my hair grew (again) and my mother, Umm Rooman, came to me while I was playing in a swing
with some of my girlfriends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me.
She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when
my breathing became alright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me
into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, “Best wishes and Allah’s Blessing
and a good luck.” Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came to me in the forenoon and my mother
handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age.”

Imam Ahmad related from ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, made marriage proposal to a woman from his people called Sawdah. She had been bereaved. She
88
had five girls (or six) from her dead husband. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, said to her: “What prevents you from (marrying) me?” she said: “By Allah, nothing prevents me from
marrying you and you becoming the most beloved person to me except that I honor you above being
disturbed by the noise of these girls morning and night.” “Is anything other than this preventing you (from
marrying) me?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked and she replied:
“None else, by Allah.” Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Allah
have Mercy on you. The best women are the riders of the camels and the righteous among the women of
Quraish. They are the kindest women to their children in their childhood and the more careful women of
the property of their husbands.”

Allah’s Messenger Goes to the People of At-Ta’if to Invite Them to Allah and
to the Aid of His Religion and They Reject Him
Ibn Ishaq said: “After Abu Talib died, the Quraish were able to inflict such harm on Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that they were unable to do in the lifetime of his uncle, Abu
Talib. Thus, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went to At-Ta’if in search of
aid and protection from Thaqeef. He also nursed the hope that they would accept what he has brought to
them from Allah. He went to them alone. Yazeed Ibn Abi Ziyad reported from Muhammad Ibn Kab
AlQurazi who said: 'When Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, arrived in AtTa’if,
he proceeded to certain personalities of the Thaqeef who were their chiefs and notables. They were three
brothers, ‘Abd Yaleel, Mas‘ood and Habeeb the sons of ‘Amr Ibn ‘Umair Ibn 'Awf Ibn ‘Uqdah Ibn Ghiyarah
Ibn 'Awf Ibn Thaqeef. One of them was married to a Quraishi woman from Banu Jumah. Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sat with them, called them to believe in Allah and requested their
support against his adversaries among his people. One of them said: I will tear the cloth of the Ka‘bah if
Allah has indeed sent you as a Messenger! Another said: Did not Allah find anyone other than you to send?
The third person said: I swear by Allah that I will never have any discussion with you. If you are truly a
Messenger from Allah, then you are the most dangerous person to reply to his words; and if you are lying
against Allah, I feel it is imperative not to speak with you.”

Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, rose from their presence after he
had lost hope of any good from Thaqeef. It has also reached me that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, said to them: “Seeing that you have acted as you have, please keep the matter secret”
for Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had detested that his people would get
wind of it and thus will increase in their acts against him. They reneged on that and stirred their rifrafs and
slaves to abuse and ridicule him until they gathered a mob against him. He took shelter and rested against
the wall of a vineyard of an orchard belonging to ‘Utbah Ibn Rabee‘ah and his brother Shaibah who were
there at the time. They drove back the rifrafs of Thaqeef who were pursuing him. He proceeded to the shade
of a grape vineyard and sat in there while the two sons of Rabee‘ah beheld what has befallen him from the
rifrafs of the people of At-Ta’if. According to what I was informed, the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, met a woman of Banu Jumah and said to her: “What has befallen us from the people of
your husband!”

I was informed that when Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, felt safe, he said:

“O Allah! To You I complain of my weakness, of my helplessness and my insignificance before men. O

Most Merciful of the merciful, You are the Lord of helpless and You are my Lord! Into whose hands would
You entrust me? Into the hands of a remote person who would scowl at me, or to an enemy whom You have
given control over my affairs? If You are not angry with me, I do not care; but Your clemency is more
spacious for me. I seek refuge with the Light of Your Countenance, whereby all darkness is illuminated,
and of which all affairs are ordered in this world as well as in the Hereafter, from (any possibility) that You
should send down Your anger or that I should incur Your wrath. It is for me to return to You until You are
well satisfied! There is no wisdom nor might except with You.”

Ibn Ishaq related: When the two sons of Rabee‘ah, ‘Utbah and Shaibah, saw his travail, they felt compassion
for him and they sent to him a young Christian slave called ‘Addas saying to him: “Take a bunch of grapes,
89
place it on a plate and then take it to that man and ask him to eat from it.” Addas did so. He went to him
with the plate and placed it before him asking him to eat. When Allah’s Messenger put his hand into it, he
said: “In the Name of Allah” and then he ate from it. Addas looked at his face and said: “By Allah, the
people in this land do not say these words.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
asked: “Then which country are you from, O Addas, and what is your religion?” he replied: “I am a Christian
from Neenaw.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “From the town of a
righteous man Yoonus Ibn Matta,” Addas said: “How did you know about Yoonus Ibn Matta?” Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied: “He is my brother; he was a Prophet and so
am I.” Addas bent over him to kiss his head, hands and feet.

The sons of Rabee‘ah said to each other: “He has corrupted him for you.” When Addas returned to them,
they asked him: “Woe be unto you, O Addas, why were you kissing the head, hands and feet of that man?”
He responded: “My master, there is nothing better on the surface of the Earth than that man. He has informed
me of things that only a Prophet could know.” They said: “Be careful, Addas. Do not let him seduce you
from your religion, for yours is better than his.”

It is recorded in the Saheehain that ‘A’ishah said to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him: “Have you encountered a day harder than the day of the Battle of Uhud?” The Prophet, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied, “Your tribes have troubled me a lot, and the worse trouble was
the trouble on the Day of ‘Aqabah when I presented myself to Ibn ‘Abd Yaleel Ibn ‘Abd Kulal and he did
not respond to my demand. So I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and proceeded on, and
could not relax till I found myself at Qarnath-Tha‘alib where I lifted my head toward the sky to see a cloud
shading me unexpectedly. I looked up and saw Jibraeel in it, peace be upon him. He called me saying,
‘Allah has heard your people’s saying to you, and what they have replied back to you, Allah has sent the
Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.’ The
Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, “O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you
like, I will let Al-Akhshabain (i.e. two mountains) fall on them.” The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, said, “No but I hope that Allah will let them beget children who will worship Allah, Alone,
and will worship None besides Him.”

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq reported the hearing of the recitation of the Qur’an by some Jinns on his way back
from At-Ta’if when he stayed overnight in Nakhlah. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, offered the Subh prayer with his Companions and the Jinns who were attracted to him heard his
recitation of the Qur’an there. Ibn Ishaq said there were seven of them (from the Jinns of the people of
Naseebeen) and Allah revealed concerning them:

“And (remember) when We sent toward you (Muhammad) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the Jinns,
(quietly) listening to the Qur’an, when they stood in the presence thereof, they said: 'Listen in silence!' And
when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners.” (Soorah Al-Ahqaf 46:29)

Al-Umawi has mentioned in his Maghazi that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, sent ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Urraiqit to Al-Akhnas Ibn Shareeq requesting him to guard him in Makkah. He
said in response: “An ally of the Quraish does not stand guard for one of its own.” Then the Prophet, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent him to Suhail Ibn Amr to guard him and he also said in response:
“The descendant of Banu ‘Amir Ibn Lu’ayy do not stand guard for Banu Ka‘b Ibn Lu’ayy.” Then he sent
him to Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy to guard him and he said: “Yes, tell him to come.” Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him, went and spent the night with him. In the morning, he went with him
along with his six or seven children, all of them bearing swords. They entered the Masjid Al-Haram and he
said to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “Circumambulate.” And they hung
the scabbard of their swords in the tawaf arena. Then Abu Sufyan came to Mut‘im and asked: “Are you
guard or follower?” he replied, “No, guard.” “Then there will be no contravention,” Abu Sufyan said. So
he sat with him until Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, finished his tawaf.
When he left, they also left along with him and Abu Sufyan went to his meeting place.

90
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, remained for a few days afterward and then
he was granted the permission to migrate. When he migrated to Madinah, Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy died shortly
afterward.

I say: This is why the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said concerning the war prisoners
of Badr: “Had Al-Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy been alive and interceded with me for these mean people, I would
have freed them for his sake.”

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to present himself to the Arab tribes
during the Hajj season so that they may protect, aid and defend him against those who belie and oppose him
but none of them would respond owing to the great honor Allah held in stock for him with the Ansar, may
Allah be pleased with them all.

Ibn Ishaq said: Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, returned to Makkah to
meet an even greater opposition and rejection of his religion from his people except for a few weak ones
among those who believed in him. During the season of the pilgrimage, Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, would present himself to the Arab tribes to invite them to believe in Allah
and that he was a Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that had been sent (by Allah). He
would request them to protect him until Allah makes his Message prevail.

Imam Ahmad related from Rabee‘ah Ibn ‘Ibad of Banu Ad-Dil who was a polytheist but accepted Islam.
He said: “During the period of Jahiliyyah, I saw Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, in the market of Dhul Majaz saying: “O people! Say La ilaha ill-Allah (there is no deity worthy of
worship but Allah) so that you may be successful” while the people were gathered before him. Standing
behind him was a clean-shaven man with squinted-eye and with pony-tail hair, who kept trailing him
everywhere he went and he would taunt: “He is a childish liar.” I inquired from the people about his identity
and they identified him as his uncle Abu Lahab.

Imam Al-Baihaqi also related from a man from Kinanah who narrated: “I saw Allah’s Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, at the marketplace of Dhul Majaz while he was saying: “O people! Say
La ilaha ill-Allah (there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah) so that you may be successful” and behind
him was a man throwing dust at him and behold, it was Abu Jahl. He used to interrupt Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saying: “O people! Do not let this man seduce you from your
religion. He merely wants you to abandon your worship of Al-Lat and Al-Uzza.”

Moosa Ibn ‘Uqbah narrated from Az-Zuhri that: In those years, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, would present himself to Arab tribes at all seasons. He would speak to all the nobles of
each tribe requesting from them nothing but to protect and defend him. He would say: “I will not begrudge
anyone of you over anything. Whoever is pleased among you with what I am inviting to, then, let him accept
and whoever is averse to it, I will not begrudge him. All I want is your protection from the plot to kill me
until I convey the message of my Lord and till Allah dispose my affair and that of my Companion as He
wishes.” None of them responded positively to his request. He did not approach any of those tribes except
that they said: “a man’s people have a better knowledge of him. Do you consider that a man will be good
to us while he has corrupted his own people and they have also rejected him?” All of these occurred due to
what has been kept in stock for him from the Ansar with which he will be honored.

Al-Hafiz Abu Nu‘aim related from Ibn ‘Abbas from ‘Abbas who said: “Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said to me: ‘I do not think that you or your brother can defend me and
would you come with me tomorrow to the marketplace to show me the residences of the tribes. The Arabs
had gathered for Hajj.’ I said to him: ‘This is Kindah and its relatives. They are the best of the people of
Yemen who come for Hajj. And this is the residence of Bakr Ibn Wa’il, this is the residence of Banu ‘Amir
Ibn Sa’sa’ah, so make your choice'."

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, began with the Kindah. He went to them and asked,
“where are you from?” “From the people of Yemen,” they responded. The Prophet, peace and blessings of

91
Allah be upon him, asked, “Which part of Yemen?” They said: “From Kindah.” Again the Prophet, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked, “Which branch of Kindah?” They replied,
“From Banu ‘Amr Ibn Mu‘awiyah.” Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
said: “Do you have a need for something good?” They said: “What is that?” The Messenger of Allah, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped other than
Allah, establish Salat and believe in what has come from Allah.”

Abdullah Ibn Al-Ajlah narrated: My father narrated to me from an old man of his people that the clan of
Kindah said to him: “If you triumph, shall we have authority after you?” Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Authority belongs to Allah and He disposes it wherever he wishes.”
They said in response: “We do not have any need of what you have come with.” Al-Kalbi said: “Have you
come to turn us away from our gods and set us against the Arabs? Go back to your people, we do not have
any need of you.”

Imam Ahmad related that Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah narrated: “Allah’s Messenger would offer himself to the
people at each station of pilgrimage. He would say: 'Is there anyone who would take me with him to his
people for the Quraish have objected that I convey the words of my Lord.' A man from Hamdan came to
him and he asked him: 'From where are you?' and the man replied, 'From Hamdan.' Allah’s Messenger then
asked him: 'Do you have any protection for me with your people?' The man replied in the affirmative. Then
he became afraid that his people might despise him so he came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, and said to him: 'I will go and inform them then I will come to you next year'." The
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, agreed. In the month of Rajab, a delegation of the Ansar
came. The four authors of As-Sunan have also related same through different paths from Isra’il. Imam
Tirmidhi graded it hasan Saheeh.

Arrival of the Delegates of the Ansar Year After Year Till They Pledge
Allegiance One After the Other
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Yassar related that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
continued in this way, each time the people gathered during the season of pilgrimage, he would come to
them and invite them to Allah and Islam. He would also present himself and his message of guidance and
mercy. He did not hear of the arrival in Makkah of any Arab of note and nobility except that he went to him
and invited him to Allah and presented to him his message.

Ibn Ishaq related that ‘Asim Ibn Qatadah narrated from an elder of his people that Suwaid Ibn As-Samit,
the brother of Banu Amr Ibn ‘Awf, arrived in Makkah on Haj or ‘Umrah (pilgrimage or lesser pilgrimage).
Suwaid was known among his people as "the perfect" owing to the beauty of his skin and hair as well as
his nobility and ancestry.

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went to him when he heard of his arrival. He
invited him to Allah and Islam. Suwaid said: “Perhaps you have something similar to what I have.” “And
what is with you?” the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked. He said: “The
scroll of Luqman (i.e. the wisdom of Luqman).” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, said: “Show it to me.” When he showed it, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
said: “These are good words but what I have is better than this – the Qur’an revealed to me by Allah which
is a Guidance and a Light.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then recited
the Qur’an to him and invited him to accepted Islam. The man did not refuse but said, “These are good
words.” Then he went away. When he returned to his people in Madinah he was soon killed by the Khazraj.
Some of his people said: “We think that he had been a Muslim when he was killed.” He was killed prior to
the Battle of Bu’ath.

Iyas Ibn Mu‘adh’s Acceptance of Islam

Ibn Ishaq related from Mahmood Ibn Labeed who narrated: Abul-Haisar Anas Ibn Rafi‘ arrived in Makkah
with youngsters from Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal. Among them was Iyas Ibn Mu‘adh seeking alliance from the
92
Quraish against their people from the Khazraj. When Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, heard of them, he approached them and sat to discuss with them. He said: “Do you wish for
something better than what brought you?” “What is that?” they asked. The Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I am a Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, to His servants. I invite them to worship Allah and not to associate any partner with Him. And He has
revealed to me the Qur’an.” He explained Islam to them and recited the Qur’an to them.

The narrator continued: Then Iyas Ibn Mu‘adh, a young boy, rose and said: “O people, by Allah, this is
better than what brought you here in the first place.” Abul-Haisar Anas Ibn Rafi‘ took a handful of dust and
threw it at the face of Iyas Ibn Mu‘adh. He said: “Leave us alone. By my order, we have come for other
than this.” Then Iyas kept quiet and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, rose
to leave and they also returned to Madinah. Then the war of Bu’ath broke out between the Aws and Khazraj.
It was not long thereafter before Iyas died. Mahmood Ibn Labeed said: I was informed by those who came
to me from people that they never ceased to hear him say: La ilaha ill-Allah (there no deity worthy of
worship besides Allah); Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greatest); Alhamdulillah (praise belongs to Allah) and
Subhanallah (glory be to Allah) until he died. They did not have a doubt that he died a Muslim. Since he
heard what he heard from Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, at that sitting, he
had developed the consciousness of Islam.

I say: That was in the Battle of Bu’ath and Bu’ath is a place in Madinah where the battle took place in which
a large number of the noblemen and elite among the Aws and Khazraj were killed leaving only very few
older men.

Imam Al-Bukhari related in his Saheeh that ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The day of
Bu’ath (i.e. day of fighting between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Aws and Khazraj) was brought about
by Allah for the good of His Messenger so that when he reached (Madinah), the tribes of Madinah had
already been divided and their chiefs had been killed.”

Abu Zur‘ah Ar-Razi said in his Book Dala’il An-Nubuwwah: It is narrated from Mu‘adh Ibn Rifa‘ah Ibn
Rafi‘ from his father from his grandfather that he went out along with the son of his maternal aunt, Mu‘adh
Ibn ‘Afra’ until they arrived in Makkah. When they descended from Thaniyyah, they saw a man sitting
under a tree. This was before the departure of the six individuals from the Ansar.

He continued: When we saw him, we decided to speak to him. We said, let us approach this man so that we
may put our camels in his charge till we finish circumambulating the Ka‘bah. We went to him and greeted
in the manner of the time of ignorance and he returned our greeting in the manner of Islam. And we had
heard something about the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. We immediately abhorred
it. We asked: “Who are you?” he said, “alight.” We alighted and asked him: “Where is that man who claims
what he has claimed and said what he has said?” he said, “I am the one.” We said: “Let’s hear you present
Islam.” He began presenting Islam by asking: “Who created the heavens, the Earth and the mountain?”
“Allah created them,” we said. “Who created you?” he asked again. “Allah,” we replied. “Who fashioned
these effigies that you worship?” he asked and we replied, “We.” He asked again: “Is the Creator more
deserving of being worshipped or the created being?” We responded: “The Creator.” “Then you are more
deserving of being worshipped than what you have fashioned and Allah is more deserving of being
worshipped than anything you have fashioned. I am inviting you to the worship of Allah and to testify that
none deserves to be worshipped in truth except Allah and that I am a Messenger of Allah and to connect
ties of kinship and to abandon wrongdoing even though that infuriates the people.” We said: “Even if what
you are inviting to is falsehood still it is one of the loftiest matters and meritorious manners.” He took hold
of our riding animals and we proceeded until we reached the Ka‘bah. Mu‘adh Ibn ‘Afra’ sat with him.

(He continued): I circumambulated the Ka‘bah and I dedicated one of the seven arrows to him. I faced the
Ka‘bah and hit the arrow against it. I said: “O Allah if what Muhammad is calling to is true then let his
arrow come out seven times.” When I hit it, it came out seven times. I cried out loud: "I bear witness that
none is worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah!" People gather around
me. They said: “You are insane and a juvenile.” I said, “Rather, I am a Muslim.” Then I came to the Prophet,
93
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, at the upper part of Makkah. When Mu‘adh saw me he said:
“Rafi‘ has returned with a (radiance in his) face different from the one he went with.” I came and I accepted
Islam. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, taught us Soorah Yoosuf and
“Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists).” (Soorah Al‘Alaq 96:1) Then we
returned to Madinah. When we got to ‘Aqeeq, Mu‘adh said: “I do not like that we proceed in the night, so
let us spend the night till morning before we proceed.” I said: “Spend the night with the goodness that I
have acquired? I shall not do that.” Usually, whenever Rafi‘ returned from a journey, he would give his
people gifts.” Its text and chain are hasan.

The Dawn of Islam Among the Ansar

Ibn Ishaq related: When Allah wanted to manifest His religion, empower His Prophet, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, fulfill His promise to him, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, used to go out in the Hajj season and would meet the groups of the Ansar. Again he would go to offer
himself to the Arab tribes as he would do every year. When he was at Al-‘Aqabah, he met a group of the
Khazraj for whom Allah intended good.

‘Asim Ibn ‘Umar Ibn Qatadah narrated to me from some elders of his people. They said: When Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, met them, he said: “Who are you?” we said, “A
group of the Khazraj.” He asked again: “From the allies of the Jews?” we replied in the affirmation. He
said: “Would you like to sit for a while so that I may speak with you?” They agreed. They sat and he invited
them to Allah, presented Islam to them and recited the Qur’an to them. Allah had paved the way for Islam
in that they were living adjacent to the Jews who were from the People of the Book and had knowledge
while they were from the polytheists and idol worshippers. The Jews had been suppressed in their land.
However, anytime there was a dispute between them, the Jews would say: “A Prophet will be raised and
his coming is nigh. When he comes, we shall pledge allegiance to him and along with him, we shall kill
you similar to the killing of Aad and Iram.”

When Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, spoke to that group and invited them
to believe in Allah, they said to one another: “O people, beware, by Allah, this is the same Prophet that the
Jew has promised you so do not let them precede you in accepting him.” Thus, they responded positively
to what they were invited to. They accepted him and believed in the truthfulness of Islam. They said to him:
“We have left our people back at home and there is no people who have a greater enmity and evil running
between them than we. Perhaps, Allah shall unite them through you. We shall approach them and invite
them to your matter. We shall also present and invite them to the religion which we have accepted. If Allah
unites them through you, no man will be more powerful than you.” Thereafter, they left and returned to
their country after they had believed and accepted the truth of Islam.

Ibn Ishaq said: According to what I was informed, there were six of them, all from the Khazraj.

Moosa Ibn ‘Uqbah, according to what he narrated from Az-Zuhri and Urwah Ibn Zubair, said that in their
first meeting with him they numbered eight all whom accepted Islam and promised him to return the
following year. So they returned to their people and they invited them to Islam. They sent Mu‘adh Ibn ‘Afra
and Rafi‘ Ibn Malik to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, requesting him to
send to them a man who would teach them (the religion). Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, sent Mus‘ab Ibn ‘Umair to them. He arrived in Madinah and stayed with Asad Ibn Zurarah.
Then he mentioned the story in full as shall be presented by Ibn Ishaq shortly in a more complete form than
that of Moosa Ibn ‘Uqbah. And Allah knows best.

Ibn Ishaq said, when the group got to their people in Madinah, they mentioned about Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to them and invited them to Islam so much so that it spread
amongst them. There was no house from the quarters of the Ansars except that there was the talk about the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The following year, twelve individuals of
the Ansars gathered on the occasion of Hajj pilgrimage. These twelve individuals witnessed the pilgrimage
of that year and they decided upon meeting with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be
94
upon him. They met him at Al-‘Aqabah and they gave him a pledge there similar to that of the women. That
was the first ‘Aqabah.

Ibn Ishaq related that ‘Ubadah Ibn Samit said: “I was among those who witnessed the first ‘Aqabah and we
were twelve men. We gave Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, our pledge
(similar to that) of women, i.e. before fighting was obligated, that we shall not associate any partner with
Allah, we shall not steal, we shall not commit adultery, we shall not kill our children, we shall not utter
slander, intentionally forging falsehood and that we shall not disobey him in righteousness.” The Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said in response: “Whoever fulfills this will enter Paradise; and
whoever commits these sins, his affair rests with Allah who may either punish him or forgive him.”
AlBukhari and Muslim have reported similar Hadith.

Ibn Ishaq said that Ibn Shihab Az-Zuhri related from ‘A’idhullah Abi Idrees Al-Khawlani that ‘Ubadah Ibn
As-Samit narrated to him: “We gave our pledge to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, on the night of the first ‘Aqabah that we will not worship anything besides Allah, we will not steal, we
will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, we will not kill our children, we will not utter slander, invented
by ourself, and we will not disobey him if he ordered us to do something good.” (The Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, responded): “Whoever among you respects and fulfills this pledge, will be rewarded
by Allah. And if anyone of you commits any of these sins and is punished in this world then that will be his
expiation for it, and if anyone of you commits any of these sins and Allah hides his sin, then his matter will
rest with Allah: If He wills, He punishes him and if He wills He forgives him.” This Hadith has been
collected in the Saheehain and other than them.

Ibn Ishaq related that ‘Abdur-Rahman Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Malik said: I used to be a guide for my father when he
became blind. Whenever I went out with him for the Jumu‘ah prayer and he heard the call to prayer, he
would supplicate for Abu Umamah Asad Ibn Zurarah. He continued doing that for a while, supplicating for
him upon hearing the call to prayer. Then I said to myself: “By Allah, this is a deficiency on my part,
shouldn’t I ask him (why)?” so I said to him, “May father, why is it that whenever you hear the call to the
prayer of Jumu‘ah you supplicate and ask Allah’s forgiveness for Abu Umamah?” He said: “My son, this
is because he held the Friday prayer for the first time for us at Hazmun-Nabeet of Harrah belonging to Banu
Bayadah in Baqee‘, called Naqee‘ Al-Khadimat.” I asked him: “How many were you at the time?” He said:
“Forty men.” Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah have related this Hadith through Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, may
Allah have Mercy on him.

Ibn Ishaq said: ‘Ubaidullah Ibn Al-Mugheerah Ibn Mu‘aiqeeb and ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Muhammad
Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Hazm narrated to me that Asad Ibn Zurarah went back with Mus‘ab Ibn ‘Umair toward the
residences of Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal and Banu Zafar. Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘adh was the son of the maternal aunt of
Asad Ibn Zurarah. So they entered behind a wall from the walls of Banu Zafar enclosing a well called Birr
Maraq. They both sat in the enclosure and a couple of people from those who had accepted Islam gathered.
At the time, Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘adh and Usaid Ibn Al-Hudair were the chiefs of their people from Banu ‘Abdul-
Ashhal and both of them were pagans upon the religion of their people. When they got wind of them, Sa‘d
said to Usaid: “Woe be unto you, go to those two men who have come into our residences to beguile the
weak ones amongst us, reprimand them and forbid them from coming into our residences again. I would
have dealt with them myself but for relationship of Asad Ibn Zurarah with me, whom, as you have known,
is the son of my maternal aunt and I do not have over him any precedence.” Usaid Ibn Hudair took hold of
his spear and headed toward the two men. When Asad Ibn Zurarah saw him coming he said to Mus‘ab:
“This is one of the chiefs of his people coming to you.” Musab said: “If he would sit for a while, I will
speak with him.” When he came to them he addressed then insultingly: “Why have you two come to beguile
our weak ones? Leave us alone if you have any need for your lives.”

Moosa Ibn ‘Uqbah added that a young boy said to him, “you came to us in our residences with this fellow
who is a stranger and a fugitive so that he might delude our weak ones with falsehood and inviting them to
it?”

95
Ibn Ishaq said that Mus‘ab replied: “Why don’t you sit for a while and listen. If you are pleased with the
message you accept otherwise I will desist from what you have found loathsome.” “You have offered a fair
deal,” he said driving his spear into the sand and then he sat down. Mus‘ab spoke to him about Islam and
recited the Qur’an to him as well.

(The narrator continued): They said, from what was narrated to me: “By Allah, we could recognize Islam
on his face even before he said a word in response from its radiance and receptiveness.” Finally, he said:
“Nothing is better and more beautiful than this. What do you do when you want to enter into the fold of this
religion?” They replied: “Take a bath to purify yourself and purify your cloth, then bear the witness of truth,
and then offer prayer.” He got up and took a bath and purified his cloth and then gave the testimony of the
truth. Then he offered two units of prayer and then said to both of them: “I left behind a man, if he followed
you; none of his people will do otherwise. I will send Sa‘d Ibn Mu‘adh to you right away.” He took hold of
his spear and went away toward Sa‘d and his people while they were seated in their assembly. When Sa‘d
Ibn Mu‘adh saw him coming, he said: “I swear by Allah, Usaid has returned to you with a face different
from the one he went with. When he got to the assembly, Sa‘d said to him: “What did you do?” he said: “I
spoke to two individuals and I did not find any fault in them. However, I have warned them and they offered
to do as I want. I have spoken that Banu Harithah have gone toward Asad Ibn Zurarah in order to kill him
and this is because they knew that he is the son of your maternal aunt in order to betray your covenant.

(The narrator continues): Angered by what he had just heard about Banu Harithah, Sa‘d got up at once, took
hold of his spear in his hand and headed toward them both. When they saw him, they remained calm
realizing that Usaid wanted him to hear from them too. When he got to them, he was abusive. He said to
Asad Ibn Zurarah: “O Abu Umamah, I swear by Allah, if not for the relationship between you and I, I would
have hit this one. You came into our midst to delude us with what is loathsome to us?” Meanwhile, Asad
had said to Mus‘ab: “Coming to you is a man whom his people follow. If he follows you, no other person
will contradict you amongst them.” Mus‘ab said to Sa‘d: “Why don’t you sit for a while and listen. If you
are pleased with the message you accept otherwise I will desist from what you have found loathsome.” Sa‘d
said: “You have offered a fair deal.” He drove his spear into the sand and sat down. They explained Islam
to him and recited the Qur’an to him as well. Moosa Ibn ‘Uqbah added that: Mus‘ab read to him the first
part of Soorah Az-Zukhruf. “By Allah, we could recognize Islam on his face even before he said a word in
response from its radiance and receptiveness.” Finally, he said: “Nothing is better and more beautiful than
this. What do you do when you want to enter into the fold of this religion?”
They replied: “Take a bath to purify yourself and purify cloths, then bear witness to truth, and then offer
prayer.” He got up, took a bath and purified his cloths and then gave the testimony of the truth. Then he
offered two units of prayer and then he took hold of his spear went away toward his people’s assembly with
Usaid Ibn Hudair. When his people saw him, they said: “By Allah, Sa‘d has returned to you with a face
different from the one he went with.” When he got to the assembly, Sa‘d said: "O Bani ‘AbdulAshhal, what
is my position in your midst?" and they all replied, "our leader in nobility and our right hand chief." "Verily,
the words of your men and women concerning me would be haram unless you believe in Allah and His
Messenger."

He (the narrator) also said: “By Allah no one remained in the households of Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal, neither
amongst the men nor of the women, except that they all accepted Islam before nightfall.

Imam Ahmad related from Anas Ibn Malik that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, visited a man from the Ansar. He said to him: “O maternal uncle, say La ilaha ill-Allah (there is none
worthy of worship except Allah).” The man said: “Maternal uncle or paternal uncle?” Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Paternal uncle rather.” The man said: “Do you prefer that
I say ‘la ilaha ill-Allah’ and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Yes.”

The Story of the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah

Imam Ahmad related from Jabir that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
remained in Makkah for ten years approaching people in their residences, Ukaz, Majannah and at Mina
during the pilgrimage season saying: “Who would give me refuge? Who would aid me till I deliver the
96
message of my Lord so that he may earn Paradise in return?” No one offered to accommodate him or aid
him to the extent that a man would proceed from Yemen or Mudar and his people would advise him:
“beware of the young man of Quraish so that he may not afflict you.” They would go before his riding
animal and would point to him (as a warning). This was the case until Allah sent people from Yathrib who
offered to accommodate him and accepted him such that a man would proceed from us and he would believe
in him and Qur’an would be recited to him and he would return to his people and they would believe as he
has done. Thereafter, they made ‘Umrah en masse and we said: “Till when shall we leave Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to perform tawaf and they banishing him in the hills
of Makkah and they scaring him?” Seventy people among us traveled to him. We met him at one of the
Hajj sites and gave him a promise at the mountain pass of ‘Aqabah. We gathered one after the other and in
pairs until we were complete. We said: “Upon what should we give our pledge?” he replied, “Give me your
pledge upon listening to and obeying my orders in active and inactive state and to spend (in the way of
Allah) both in straits and ease and upon commanding the good and forbidding the evil and to speak for the
sake of Allah not minding the blame of the blamers and upon helping me and protecting me, when I come
to you, from all that you would protect yourself, your wives and your children from and yours will be
Paradise as a reward.” We rose to give him our pledge. Asad Ibn Zurarah held his hand and he was the
youngest of them. In the narration of Al-Baihaqi, he was the youngest of the 70 besides me.

He said: “Take it easy, O people of Yathrib, we are not giving him the innermost part of a camel except that
we recognize him as the Messenger of Allah and verily, his emanation today will bring us into conflict with
the entire Arabs and the death of your choice ones and swords will bite you. If you are people who are
capable of exercising patience upon all that, then take him and your reward lies with Allah. But if you fear
for yourself, then let him be and you will be excused in the sight of Allah.” They all responded: “Move
away from us, O Asad, for by Allah, we shall never abandon this pledge forever and we shall never betray
it.” Then we rose to give him our pledge and he took it upon the reward of Paradise.

Then Ibn Ishaq related from Ma‘bad from ‘Abdullah from his father Ka‘b Ibn Malik who said: “We spent
that night in our camps until a third of the night passed, and then we went from our camps to the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, at the appointed place. We went stealthily in the manner
of a tomcat until we gathered at the mountain pass at ‘Aqabah. We were seventy-three men in all and with
us were two women, Nusaybah Bint Ka‘b, the mother of ‘Ummarah, one of the women of Banu Mazin Ibn
An-Najjar, and Asma’ Bint ‘Amr Ibn ‘Adiyy Ibn Nabi, one of the women of Banu Salamah, and she was
the mother of Manee’. Ibn Ishaq has clearly mentioned their names and lineage in the narration of Yoonus
Ibn Bukair.

I say that concerning what has been related in some of the Ahadeeth that they were seventy, (this is because)
the Arabs most of the times delete fractions (of numbers). ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair and Moosa Ibn ‘Uqbah
said, they were seventy men and a woman. There were forty of them from their elders and thirty from the
younger ones. The youngest of them was Abu Mas‘ood and Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah. The report of Muhammad
Ibn Ishaq that they were seventy-five is more established. And Allah knows best.

Ka‘b Ibn Malik narrated that after we had gathered at the mountain pass, we waited for Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, until he came along with ‘Abbas Ibn ‘AbdulMuttalib who was
still upon the religion of his people but present there with a view to managing the affair of his nephew and
to consolidate it for him. When he sat down, the first to speak was ‘Abbas Ibn ‘AbdulMuttalib. He said: “O
company of Al-Khazraj, verily you know the standing of Muhammad among us. We have protected him
from (the harm of) our people. In our midst, he is held in honor among his people and in protection in his
land. However, he has insisted on aligning himself with you and to join you. If you know that you will
fulfill what you are inviting him to and that you will protect him from his oppositions, then you are free to
bear that burden. However, if you know that you will hand him over (to be killed) and betray him after he
has moved over to you, let him be right now for he is in honor and protection from his people and his land.”
We said: “We have heard your words. Speak, O Messenger of Allah. Take on behalf of yourself and your
Lord what you wish.” The Messenger spoke, recited the Qur’an and invited the congregation to Allah and
aroused their keenness for Islam. Then he said: “Do you give your pledge upon protecting me from what
you would protect yourselves and your children?” AlBara’ Ibn Ma’roor held his hand and then said: “Yes,
97
by the One Who sent you with the Truth, we shall protect you from what we would protect our loincloth.
So we give our pledge, O Messenger of Allah, for we are men of war.” Abu Al-Haytham Ibn Al-Tayyihan
interjected. He said: “O Messenger of Allah, between us and some men is an armistice which we intend to
nullify, i.e. (with) the Jews. Will you be offended if we do that? Moreover, if Allah grants you victory,
would you return to your people and abandon us?” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, smiled and then said: “Rather, your blood is my blood and my grave and residence will be where
yours are. I am from you and you are from me. I will fight with whom you fight and will be at peace with
whom you have peace.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had told them:
“Appoint for me twelve leaders to manage the affairs of their people.” So they appointed twelve leaders –
nine from the Khazraj and three from the Aws.

Ibn Ishaq said: Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Hazm narrated to me that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, said to the appointed leaders: “You are in charge of the people and you are their
guarantor just like the disciples of ‘Eesa, the son of Maryam, and I am the guarantor of my entire followers.”
They all agreed.

Narrated ‘Ubadah Ibn As-Samit: “We gave our pledge to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, that we would listen and obey in times of plenty and times of scarcity, to spend (for Allah’s
sake) in difficult and times of ease, to command what is good and forbid what is evil and that we would say
the truth for the sake of Allah, not minding the blame of the blamers. That we will aid the Messenger, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, of Allah when he comes over to us in Yathrib against whatever danger
from which we would protect ourselves, our wives and our children and our reward for doing all that shall
be Paradise. This is the pledge we gave to Allah’s Messenger.” This chain of narrations is good and strong.

Ibn Ishaq related from Ma‘bad Ibn Ka‘b from his brother ‘Abdullah Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Malik that when we had
given our pledge to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, Shaitan yelled from the
top of Al-‘Aqabah in a most piercing voice we ever heard: "O people of Al-Jubajib (the name of a residential
area), do you want to allow these miscreants and renegades who are with him and who have gathered in
order to wage war against you?” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “This
is the Azabb of Al-‘Aqabah, this is the son of Azyab.” Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, told them to return to their camps.

Al-‘Abbas Ibn ‘Ubadah Ibn Nadlah said: “O Messenger of Allah, by the One Who sent you with the Truth,
if you wish, we will fight the people of Mina tomorrow with our swords.” The Messenger of Allah, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied: “We have not been commanded to do that, return to your
camps.”

(The narrator continued): We returned to our beds and we spent the night there. At the daybreak, a group
Quraish elders came to our dwellings and said to us: “O people of Khazraj! We have been informed that
you came to take Muhammad away from our midst in order to make a pledge with him to fight us. By Allah,
of all the Arabs, there is none whom we hate to be at war with than you.” Immediately, the polytheists
among our people swore that nothing of such ever happened. They were true for they knew nothing about
it. We just looked at each other.

Ibn Ishaq related: A group of people from Mina investigated the information and found it to be true. So
after that they went after our people until they caught up with Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubadah at Adhakhir, close to
Makkah, as well as Al-Mundhir Ibn ‘Amr, the brother of Banu Sa‘idah Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Al-Khazraj, both of
whom were among the leaders. Al-Mundhir managed to escape but they caught Sa‘d, tied his hands to his
neck with thongs of his girth and brought him back to Makkah. On the way, they beat him and dragged him
by his hair and he was a man with thick hair.

Sa‘d narrated: “By Allah, I was in their captivity when we came upon a group of Quraish among whom was
a tall, white, handsome and pleasant looking man. I said to myself that if any good would come from these
people, then it would be from this man. But when he approached, he raised his hand and gave me a violent
blow in the face. Again I said to myself: No good would come from them after this. Since I was in their

98
hands as they dragged me along, a man from among them felt pity over my plight and said to me, “Don’t
you have any right to protection from any of the Quraish?” “Yes,” I said. “I used to secure the merchandise
of the merchants of Jubair Ibn Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy from the harm they might be exposed to in my country.
I also used to do the same for Al-Harith Ibn Harb Ibn Umayyah Ibn ‘Abd Shams.” “Good, then shout their
names showing the ties you have with them.” I did as I was told and the man went to the two men and found
both of them in the Ka‘bah. He said to them: “A man of the Khazraj is being beaten in the valley and he is
calling you for help.” “Who is the man?” They both asked and the man said, “Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubadah.” “Yes, he
is speaking the truth, he used to secure the commerce of our merchants and protect them from the harm they
might be exposed to in his land.” So they both came to him and freed Sa‘d from the clutches and he went
away. The one who hit Sa‘d in the face was Suhail Ibn ‘Amr.

Ibn Ishaq related: When the Ansar who gave pledge to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, on the night of the second (pledge of) ‘Aqabah and returned to Madinah, they propagated Islam.
Among their people, some of their chiefs remained upon their religion of polytheism among whom were
‘Amr Ibn Al-Jamooh Ibn Zaid Ibn Haram Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Ghanm Ibn Ka‘b Ibn Salimah. His son, Mu‘adh Ibn
‘Amr was among those who witnessed the ‘Aqabah and gave pledge to Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him. ‘Amr Ibn Jamuh was among the leaders of Banu Salamah and the noblest
among them. He had a wooden idol in his house called Manat. It was the practice of the noblemen to choose
a family god which they would venerate, clean and perfume. When the two sons of Banu Salimah, his son,
Mu‘adh and Mu‘adh Ibn Jabal accepted Islam, they would sneak by night to ‘Amr’s idol, carry it outside
and turn it upside down in one of the cesspits of Banu Salamah. In the morning, ‘Amr would cry out: “Woe
unto you, who assaulted our god tonight?!” After searching frantically for it, he would find it upside down
in the cesspit. He would remove it, wash it, perfume and then make it clean again. Then he would say,
addressing his idol: “If I knew who did this to you I will make him sorrowful.” Again, ‘Amr spent the night
while the same fate befell his wooden deity. Again, he searched and found it in the same cesspit. He washed
it and restored it to its place in the house.

When the "transgression" against his god became unceasing, one day, after he had rescued the idol from the
cesspit, washed it, perfume it, ‘Amr brought a sword and hung it on the neck of the idol and then addressed
it thus: “By Allah, I do not know who is doing this to you, if you have any good (you can do for yourself),
here is a sword with you, defend yourself against him.” In the night, ‘Amr slept while the twosome attacked
his idol once again. They removed the sword from the idol’s neck, tied it with a rope to the carcass of a dog
and threw ‘Amr’s god into one of the cesspits of Banu Salamah. In the morning, ‘Amr Ibn Jamooh did not
find the idol in its place. He later found it tied to a dead dog in a cesspit. When he beheld his god in such a
despicable situation, he realized his folly. The Muslims among his people spoke to him and he too accepted
Islam by Allah’s Mercy and became a committed Muslim. When he realized his folly and became a Muslim
he thanked Allah for saving him from blindness and misguidance.

Commencement of the Migration to Madinah

Az-Zuhri narrated from ‘Urwah Ibn Zubair that ‘A’ishah said: Allah’s Messenger said to the Muslims and
at that time when he was in Makkah: “I have been shown the land of your migration. I saw a virgin land
sufficed with date-palm trees between the two mountains.” Those who migrated went toward Madinah
when Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that. Some of the Muslims who
had migrated to Abyssinia also returned to Madinah." Related by Al-Bukhari.

Abu Moosa also narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I saw in a dream
that I was migrating from Makkah to a land where there were date-palm trees. I thought that it might be the
land of Al-Yamamah or Hajar, but behold, it turned out to be the city of Yathrib (i.e. Madinah).”

Ibn Ishaq related: when Allah, the Most High, permitted fighting in the following Verse: “Permission to
fight is given to those (i.e. Believers against disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and) because they
(Believers) have been wronged, and surely, Allah is Able to give them (Believers) victory. Those who have
been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: 'Our Lord is Allah'.” (Soorah AlHajj 22:
30, 40)
99
With this permission from Allah to fight and the pledge given by the delegates of the Ansar to uphold Islam
and aid him and those who follow him and to accommodate those who come to them among the Muslims,
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, ordered his Companions among the
Muhajiroon of his people and those who were with him in Makkah among the Muslims to depart for
Madinah and to migrate and meet their brothers among the Ansar. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, said: “Allah has made for you brothers and a land in which you will live in security.”
They departed in throngs one after the other while Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, remained in Makkah awaiting the permission of his Lord to also to leave Makkah and migrate to
Madinah.

The first of those who migrated to Madinah, among the Companions of Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, from the Muhajiroon of the Quraish, were Abu Salamah ‘Abdullah Ibn
‘Abdul-Asad Ibn Hilal Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Umar Ibn Makhzoom from Banu Makhzoom. His migration took
place a year before the pledge of ‘Aqabah when the Quraish tyrannized him upon his return from his initial
migration to Abyssinia. He decided to return to Abyssinia when he heard that there are some brothers in
Madinah so he changed his course to Madinah.

Ibn Ishaq related said that thereafter, among the Muhajiroon, the person who arrived Madinah after Abu
Salamah was ‘Amir Ibn Rabee‘ah, an ally of Banu ‘Adiyy, along with his wife, Laila Bint Abi Hathmah
Al-Adawiyyah. After ‘Amir, ‘Abdullah Ibn Jahsh Ibn Riyab Ibn Ya’mar Ibn Sabirah Ibn Murrah Ibn
Katheer Ibn Ghanm Ibn Doodan Ibn Asad Ibn Khuzaimah, an ally of Banu Umayyah Ibn ‘Abd Shams also
followed along with his family and brother, ‘Abd Abu Ahmad. His name was ‘Abd as mentioned by Ibn
Ishaq. It also said that his name was Thumamah. As-Suhailee said: the first opinion is more correct.

Abu Ahmad was a blind man but he would tour both the upper and lower part of Makkah without a guide.
He was also a poet. His wife was Al-Fari‘ah Bint Abi Sufyan Ibn Harb. His mother was Umaimah Bint
‘Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Hashim. So the entire house of Banu Jahsh became desolate and bolted due to the
migration. Once, ‘Utbah Ibn Rabee‘ah, Al-‘Abbas Ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib and Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham passed
by the house while they were climbing toward the upper section of Makkah. ‘Utbah checked the doors of
the house and found it desolate. At this, ‘Utbah sighed heavily.

Ibn Ishaq related: Thereafter, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab and ‘Ayyash Ibn Abi Rabee‘ah set out (in migration)
until they arrived Madinah. Nafi‘ narrated to me from ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar that his father said: “When I
wanted to migrate to Madinah, I, ‘Ayyash Ibn Rabee‘ah and Hisham Ibn Al-‘As made a mutual agreement
to meet at the water drain of Banu Ghifar. We said: 'Whoever of us is not by the place in the morning will
be considered to have been detained by his people. So the rest should proceed.' Myself and ‘Ayyash met at
the agreed spot the next morning and Hisham was detained and was severely tortured to abandon his
religion.

When we arrived at Madinah, we stayed with the Banu ‘Amr Ibn ‘Awf at Quba. Meanwhile, Abu Jahl and
Al-Harith Ibn Hisham also set out for Madinah in trail for ‘Ayyash who was their cousin and their brother
from the mother's side. Both of them arrived at Madinah and all the while Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, was still in Makkah. They met him and addressed him thus: “Your mother
has made a vow not to comb her hair until she sees you. She has also vowed not seek shade from the sun
until she sees you, so have mercy on her.” I said to him: “By Allah, these people merely want to deceive
you from your religion, beware of them. If lice afflict your mother, by Allah she will comb her hair and if
the heat of Makkah becomes unbearable for her, she will seek shade.” He said: “I will redeem my mother’s
oath and I will take my wealth which I left behind.” I said to him: “By Allah, you know that I am one of the
richest of the Quraish, I will give you half of my wealth, so do not go with them.” He insisted on going with
them. When I saw his insistence, I said to him: “If you are bent on your decision, here, take my camel, it is
excellent and obedient, adhere to its back, if you feel suspicious of these people, escape on its back.” So he
departed on the camel with the other two men until they traveled over a distance, then Abu Jahl said to him:
“My brother, by Allah, I have exhausted my camel, do you mind me riding behind you on your camel?”
‘Ayyash said: “Why not.” So he goaded the camel to sit so that he may climb its back. When the camel

100
lowered itself, they attacked him and bound him with a string and they entered Makkah in this manner.
They tortured him so much that he was forced to recant his faith.

‘Umar said: “We used to say that: ‘Allah will not accept the repentance of those who were forced to recant
their faith and they also used to say that about themselves until Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, arrived in Madinah and Allah revealed: “Say: 'O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have
transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah
(SWT), verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And turn in repentance
and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him, (in Islam), before
the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped. And follow the best of that which is sent down
to you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur’an, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids),
before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not'!” (Soorah AzZumar 39:53-55)

‘Umar added: I wrote these Verses (in a letter) and sent it to Hisham Ibn Al-‘As. Hisham said: “when the
letter reached me, I kept reading it at Dhu Tuwa (a valley close to Makkah). I ascended and descended yet
I did not understand the import of the Verses. Finally, I prayed: “O Allah grant me its understanding.” Then
Allah made it occurred to my mind that that it was revealed concerning us and concerning what we used to
say about ourselves and what people say about us. I returned to my camel, sat on it and I went to meet
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Madinah.

Ibn Hisham mentioned that it was Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah who brought Hisham Ibn Al-‘As and
‘Ayyash Ibn Abu Rabee‘ah to Madinah. He kidnapped them from Makkah and he arrived in Madinah
carrying them on his camel while he was walking along with them.

Al-Bukhari related from Al-Bara’ that the first person to come to us (in Madinah) was Mus‘ab Ibn ‘Umair
and Ibn Umm Maktoom and thereafter came ‘Ammar and Bilal.

Al-Bara’ Ibn ‘Azib narrated: Mus‘ab Ibn ‘Umair and Ibn Umm Maktoom were the first to arrive in Madinah
and they used to teach people the Qur’an. Then there came Bilal, Sa‘d and ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir. Thereafter,
‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab came along with twenty other Companions of the Messenger of Allah. Later on, the
Messenger of Allah himself came (to Madinah) and I had never seen the people of Madinah so joyful as
they were on the arrival of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, for even the slave
girls were saying, “Allah’s Messenger has arrived!” And before his arrival I had read the Soorah starting
with: “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High” (Soorah Al-A‘la 87:1) together with other Soorahs
of Al-Mufassal.

Ibn Ishaq related: Thereafter, the Muhajiroon followed one after the other. May Allah be pleased with them
all. Talhah Ibn ‘Ubaidullah and Suhaib Ibn Sinan stayed with Khubaib Ibn ’Isaf, the brother of BalHarith
Ibn Al-Khazraj at a place called Sunah. It is also claimed that Talhah stayed with Asad Ibn Zurarah.

Ibn Hisham related: it was narrated to me that Abu ‘Uthman An-Nahdi said: it reached me that when Suhaib
intended to migrate, the polytheists of the Quraish said to him: “you came to our midst while you were poor
and wretched and your wealth grew while you were with us and you attained such status that you have
attained and then you want to leave us with all your wealth? By Allah, that will never happen!” Suhaib
asked them: “If I hand over to you all my wealth, would you let me go?” They replied in affirmation. Suhaib
said: “I have given you all of my wealth.” When news of Suhaib’s action reached the Messenger of Allah,
he said: “Suhaib has profited! Suhaib has profited!!”

Circumstances Leading to the Migration of Allah’s Messenger

Allah says: “And say (O Muhammad): My Lord! Let my entry (to the city of Madinah) be good, and likewise
my exit (from the city of Makkah) be good. And grant me from You an authority to help me (or a firm sign
or a proof).” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:80)

101
Allah guided and inspired the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to supplicate
with these words to make for him ease in the nearest future and a speedy way-out. Thus, Allah granted him
permission to migrate to Madinah, the city of the Prophet, wherein waited, for him, helpers and beloved;
and which eventually became his residence and final resting place.

Ibn Ishaq related: After his Companions among the Muhajiroon had left, Allah’s Messenger peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, remained in Makkah waiting for the permission to migrate. No one
remained with him aside from those who were detained and those who were tortured into submission except
‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Quhafah, may Allah be pleased with them both. Abu Bakr
persistently requested the permission of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to
make Hijrah and he would say to him: “Don’t be in haste, perhaps Allah will grant you a companion.” Abu
Bakr wished it would be the Prophet himself.

Now that it became clear to the Quraish that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
has a faction and Companions not just outside their tribe but outside their land as well, they became worried.
Moreover, what made the Quraish more worrisome was the continuous migration of his Companions among
the Muhajiroon to Madinah where they have found a new home and protection. Thus, they feared that the
Messenger of Allah would also migrate to join them for they knew that they will eventually fight them.

In order to stymy this, the Quraish gathered in Darun-Nadwah, a house belonging to Qusayy Ibn Kilab
where they used to make important decisions concerning them. They gathered to discuss the issue of the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the strong position he posed to their
collective existence.

Ibn Ishaq related that I was informed that ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas said: So they agreed to meet in the Darun-
Nadwah to deliberate on the issue of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. On the
appointed day which is known as the day of Zam‘ah (crowd), Iblees (Shaitan), may Allah’s curse be on
him, came in the form of a handsome old man wearing a mantle and stood at the door. When they saw him
standing by the door, they asked: “From where is the old man?” He said: “An old man from the people of
Najd; I heard about what you are deliberating upon and I chose to attend the meeting with you so that I may
listen to your deliberation and help you reach a sound decision.” They said to him: “Come in, then.” Shaitan
entered the room wherein were gathered the nobles of the Quraish: ‘Utbah, Shaibah, Abu Sufyan, Tu’aimah
Ibn ‘Adiyy, Jubair Ibn Mut‘im Ibn ‘Adiyy, Al-Harith Ibn ‘Amir Ibn Nawfal, Nadr Ibn Al-Harith, Abul-
Bakhtari Ibn Hisham, Zam‘ah Ibn Al-Aswad, Hakeem Ibn Hizam, Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham, Nubaih and
Munabbih, the two sons of Al-Hajjaj and Umayyah Ibn Khalaf, respectively, among several others that
cannot be mentioned among the Quraish.

They said to one another: “The matter of this man has reached a proportion which all of you are not oblivious
to. By Allah, we should not allow him to pounce upon us with his followers outside our tribe. So give the
matter a consideration.” In the course of the deliberation, one of them (some said it was AbuBakhtari Ibn
Hisham) suggested: “Why not we put him in iron shackles and lock him away behind bars to await death
in a similar manner to what happened to the poets that came before him like Zuhair and Nabighah.” The
"old man" of Najd said: “No, by Allah, this suggestion is not good enough. If you enshackle him as you
said, the news of his fate will filter out from behind bars to his Companions and without a doubt, they will
pounce upon you and they will snatch him away from you. Thereafter, they will reinforce themselves and
then vanquish you. So this is not a good proposal.”

After further deliberation, one of them suggested: “We should expel him from our land. Once he is out of
our domain, we will be less concerned about where he goes. When we are relieved of his trouble, we will
rectify our affairs and we will return to our good old days.” Again, the "old man" of Najd said: “This is not
a good opinion either. Haven’t you observed the beauty of his speech and the sweetness of his logic and the
manner he overwhelms men with his message? By Allah, if you apply this suggestion, he would win the
Bedouin Arabs over to him with his speech and sweet rendition and they would follow him. Then they
would take away your affairs from your hands and then do whatever they like with you. Think of a course
of action better than this.”
102
Finally, Abu Jahl said: “By Allah, I have an idea after which a better one will not occur to you.” “What is
the idea, O Abul-Hakam?” They asked. He said: “I suggest that we choose from the different clans each a
young and strong man of high descent and noble status among us. Then we will give each youth a sharp
sword to attack him; each dealing him a simultaneous fatal blow and then we can be relieved of him. If we
do this, the responsibility for his blood will be borne by all the clans and the Banu ‘Abd Manaf will be
incapable of fighting against the clans altogether. They would be forced to accept whatever blood money
paid to them by the entire clans.” The "old man" of Najd said: “This is the real proposal, there is no better
idea than this.” After they reached a firm decision, the meeting ended with a firm determination to
implement the plan.

Jibraeel came to the Messenger of Allah saying: “Do not sleep in your bed tonight.” When it became dark,
they gathered at his door keeping a vigil waiting for him to go to sleep before they attack him. When Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saw through their nasty intensions, he said to ‘Ali,
“Sleep on my bed and cover yourself with my green Hadrami mantle. Use it when sleeping and nothing you
dislike will reach you from them.” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, usually
slept in that same mantle.

Ibn Ishaq related that Yazeed Ibn Abi Ziyad narrated to me from Muhammad Ibn Ka‘b Al-Qurazi that:
When they gathered with their evil designs at his door, Abu Jahl, who was among them, said to them in
mockery: “Muhammad claims that if you followed him, you will be kings over the Arabs and non-Arabs.
Then you will be resurrected after you die and you will be granted (as a reward) a garden like that of Jordan
and if you fail to follow him, you will be slaughtered and when you are resurrected after you die, a fire will
be made for you in which you will be burned.”

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came out, took a handful of dust and said:
“Truly, I said so and you will be among them.” Then Allah blinded their sight and they did not see him and
he began to cast dust on their heads while reciting these Verses: “Ya Seen. [These letters are one of the
miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.] By the Qur’an, full of wisdom
(i.e. full of laws, evidences, and proofs), Truly, you (O Muhammad) are one of the Messengers, On a
Straight Path (i.e. on Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism). (This is) a Revelation sent down by the
Almighty, the Most Merciful.” (Soorah Ya Seen 36:1-5)

Up to the Verse: “And We have put a barrier before them, and a barrier behind them, and We have
covered them up, so that they cannot see.” (Soorah Ya Seen 36:9)

There was none of them that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not
cast dust on his head and then he went his way. Then someone who had not been there with them all the
while came and said: “What are you waiting here for?” “Muhammad.” They chorused. He said: “May Allah
turn you down, I swear by Allah, Muhammad came out, put dust on the head of each of you and then went
his way. Don’t you see what has occurred to you?” Each man touched his head and found dust on it. They
looked inside the room and found ‘Ali in bed sleeping under the mantle of the Messenger of Allah so they
said: “That is Muhammad sleeping under his mantle.” Thus, they remained in their places until daybreak.
Then ‘Ali woke up from the bed and when the reality dawned on them, they exclaimed:
“The one who informed us spoke the truth.”

Migration of Allah’s Messenger from Makkah to Madinah along with Abu

Bakr As-Siddiq
Al-Bukhari related from Ibn ‘Abbas that: Allah’s Messenger started receiving the Divine Revelation at the
age of forty. Then he stayed in Makkah for thirteen years, receiving the Divine Revelation. Then he was
ordered to migrate and he lived as an Emigrant for ten years and then died at the age of sixty-three
(years).”

Ibn Ishaq related that when Abu Bakr requested the permission of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him, to migrate, he told him: “Don’t be in haste, perhaps Allah will grant you a
103
companion.” Abu Bakr hoped the Messenger of Allah was referring to himself. So he bought two camels,
tied them in his house and fed them in preparation for that purpose.

Ibn Ishaq related that it has been narrated to me from ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair that ‘A’ishah, the Mother of
the Believers, said: Allah’s Messenger never used to come to the house of Abu Bakr at any time of the day
except at its two edges – in the early morning and evening times. However, on the day Allah permitted him
to migrate and leave Makkah, Allah’s Messenger came to us at an hour he never used to come.

She continued: When Abu Bakr saw him, he said: "Whatever has brought Allah’s Messenger at this time of
the day must be an urgent occurrence." When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, entered, Abu Bakr offered him his seat and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, sat down. There was no one with Abu Bakr other than myself and my sister, Asma’ Bint Abu
Bakr. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Let everyone with you in
the house go out.” “O Allah’s Messenger, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you, there are no one
other than my two daughters. What has happened?” Abu Bakr asked. Allah’s Messenger, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Allah has permitted me to leave and migrate.”

‘A’ishah continued: Abu Bakr asked him: “May I accompany you, O Messenger of Allah?” “Yes, you will
accompany me.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said. ‘A’ishah said:
Prior to that day, I never realize that anyone would weep out of extreme joy until I saw Abu Bakr weep that
day. Then he said: “O Prophet of Allah, here are two camels. I have been preparing them for this (journey).”
They hired ‘Abdullah Ibn Arqat (as a guide on the way).

Ibn Hisham related that he is also referred to as ‘Abdullah Ibn Uraiqit, a polytheist from Banu Ad-Deel Ibn
Bakr. His mother was from Banu Sahm Ibn ‘Amr. They gave the camels to him to tend until the appointed
date.

Abu Nu‘aim narrated through Ibrahim Ibn Sa‘d from Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, who said: It reached me that
Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, made the following supplication when he
left Makkah and migrated to Madinah: “Praise be to Allah Who created me though I was nothing. O Allah,
help me bear the might of the word, the vicissitudes of time and the calamities of the night and days. O
Allah, accompany me on my journey and replace me in my family and bless me in what You have provided
me. To You I am humble and in my good character, keep me steadfast. Make me, O Lord, beloved to
Yourself, do not leave me to the people. You are the Lord of the oppressed and my Lord. I seek refuge in
Your Noble Countenance by which the heavens and the Earth were illuminated, by which the darkness was
dispelled, and on which the affairs of the first and the last (of the mankind) were put in order. I seek refuge
from your anger befalling me and Your displeasure overtaking me. I seek refuge in You from the withdrawal
of Your bounty and the suddenness of Your vengeance, from the removal of
Your blessing and the coming of Your wrath. And there is no power or might except in You.”

Then they proceeded to the Cave of Thawr, a mountain at the lower end of Makkah and both of them entered
it. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq ordered his son, ‘Abdullah, to eavesdrop on what the people say about both of them
in the daytime and report to them during the night whatever news he had garnered that day. He also ordered
‘Amir Ibn Fuhairah, his freed slave, to graze his sheep in the daytime and drive them toward them both in
the cave toward the end of the day. ‘Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr would stay among the Quraish during the day
eavesdropping on whatever they might say about Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, and Abu Bakr, and then would bring the news to them.

Ibn Ishaq related: Asma’ Bint Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with her, would bring food to them both,
when it was dark. Asma’ narrated: When Allah’s Messenger and Abu Bakr left, a group of the Quraish
came to us among whom were Abu Jahl. They stood at Abu Bakr’s door and I came out to meet them. They
asked: “Where is Abu Bakr, O daughter of Abu Bakr?” I said to them: “I do not know where my father is.”
Then Abu Jahl raised his hand and gave me a slap so violently that my earring fell off and then they left.

104
Al-Baihaqi related: Muhammad Ibn Seereen narrated to me that some men remiscised during the time of
‘Umar and it appeared that they preferred ‘Umar over Abu Bakr. When that reached ‘Umar he said: “By
Allah, a night of Abu Bakr is better than the entire nights of the family of ‘Umar. One day of Abu Bakr is
better than the entire days of the family of ‘Umar. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, had set out on the night departed for the Cave of Thawr. On the way, Abu Bakr would walk in front
of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and at another time he would walk behind
him until it became noticeable to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and
he said: “O Abu Bakr, why do you walk at one time behind me and in my front at another?” Abu Bakr said:
“O Messenger of Allah, the thought of a trailing scout occurred to me, so I walk behind you and then, when
the thought of an ambush occurs to me, I switch to your front.” Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “O Abu Bakr, if there was a dangerous occurrence would you have
preferred that you were afflicted other than me?” “Yes, I swear by the One Who sent you with the Truth,
no calamity would befall except that I would prefer to be its recipient rather than you.” When we got to the
cave, Abu Bakr said: “Stay where you are, O Messenger of Allah, so that I may check that the cave is free
(of danger).” So Abu Bakr entered and searched the cave. When he got to its pinnacle, he told him, “You
have not checked the burrow.” Again Abu Bakr said: “Stay in your place, O Messenger of Allah, till I check
the burrow.” He checked it and then said: “You may descend into it now, O Messenger of Allah. Then the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went in. ‘Umar then added: “I swear by Him in Whose
Hands is my soul, that single night of Abu Bakr is far better than that of the family of ‘Umar.”

Imam Ahmad related that Ibn ‘Abbas said concerning the statement of Allah: “And (remember) when the
disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad) to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out (from
your home, i.e. Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was planning, and Allah is the Best of the
planners.” (Soorah Al-Anfal 8:30)

One night, during the deliberation of the Quraish in Makkah, one of them said: “In the morning, we should
enshackle him (i.e. the Prophet).” Another person suggested: “Rather, we should kill him.” A third person
said: “We should expel him.” Allah revealed their plot to His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him, so ‘Ali slept in the bed of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that night.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, left the house and sometime later he
entered the cave. The Quraish spent the night keeping watch over ‘Ali thinking that it was the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. In the morning, they swarmed in on him and found ‘Ali instead.
Thus, Allah frustrated their plots. They barked at ‘Ali: “Where is your Companion?!” “I do not know,” ‘Ali
said. They traced his track till it led them to the mountain and they became confused. They climbed the
mountain. When they passed by the cave they saw spider web at its entrance.

They said: “Had anybody entered through here, there wouldn’t be spider web at the entrance of the cave.”
They (the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr) remained there for three nights. The chain of this narrations
is hasan and it is the best of what is related concerning the story of the spider web at the entrance of the
cave. This is also from Allah’s protection for His Messenger.

Allah, Most High, says: “If you help him (Muhammad) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help
him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad and Abu Bakr) were
in the cave, and he said to his Companion (Abu Bakr): 'Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us'.”
Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquility, help and peace, etc.) upon him, and strengthened
him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost,
while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is Almighty, AllWise.” (Soorah At-
Tawbah 9:40)

Allah (SWT) says about upraiding those who lagged behind from joining the Messenger of Allah in Jihad:
“If you help him (Muhammad) not,” Allah (SWT) will help him, strengthen him and make him triumph as
He has done before: 'when the disbelievers drove him out, ‘when the people of Makkah were arrayed in war
against him while there was no one with him other than his Companion, Abu Bakr. Thus Allah says: “The
second of two,” that is, when they escaped to the cave and remained there three days so as to douse the
quest for them. When the polytheists could not find both of them, they set out in their trail in every direction
105
promising one hundred camels for whoever is able to bring them back. They followed their trails until it
became confusing to them.

The one who followed their trail on behalf of the Quraish was Suraqah Ibn Malik Ibn Ju‘tham. They climbed
the mountain of Thawr and they kept going back and forth the entrance of the cave next to their feet but
they did not see them. This is a protection from Allah for both of them as related by Imam Ahmad from
Anas Ibn Malik that Abu Bakr narrated to him: “I said to the Messenger of Allah while we were in the cave,
‘if anyone of them were to look toward his feet, (he would discover us).’ He replied: ‘O Aba Bakr, what do
you think about two people whose third is Allah (SWT)?”

Al-Bukhari related that ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
“I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being
visited by Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the morning and in the evening.
When the Muslims were put to test (i.e. troubled by the pagans), Abu Bakr set out migrating to the land of
Ethiopia, and when he reached Bark Al-Ghimad, Ibn Ad-Daghinah, the wife of the chief of the tribe of
Qarah, mentioned how he caused Abu Bakr’s return to Makkah and his offer to protect him as we have
mentioned in the section of the migration to Abyssinia up to when Abu Bakr said: “I am repudiating your
protection. I am pleased with the protection of Allah (SWT).”

She continued: At that time, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was still in
Makkah. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to the Muslims: “I have been shown
the land of your migration. It is a land suffused with date-palms located between two volcanic mountains.”
The two mountains are basalt rocks. Some people migrated toward Madinah and some of those who had
migrated toward Abyssinia also returned to Madinah. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him, said (to Abu Bakr): “Take it easy for I also hope that I will be given permission.” Abu Bakr said:
"May my father be sacrificed for you, do you really hope for that?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, replied: “Yes.” So, Abu Bakr restrained himself with the hope that he would
accompany him. He fed the two camels with him (in readiness the impending journey) on the leaves of As-
Samur tree regularly for four months. Some mentioned that he fed them for six months.

Ibn Shihab related: Abdur Rahman Ibn Malik Al-Mudliji who was a nephew of Suraqah narrated to me that
his father informed him that he heard Suraqah Ibn Malik Ibn Ju‘thum saying: “The messengers of the
polytheists of Quraish came to us announcing that they had assigned for the persons who would kill or arrest
Allah’s Messenger and Abu Bakr, a reward equal to their blood money. While I was sitting in one of the
gatherings of my tribe, Bani Mudlij, a man from them came to us and stood up while we were sitting, and
said, “O Suraqah! Verily, I have just seen some people far away on the seashore, and I think they are
Muhammad and his Companions.” Suraqah added, “I too realized that it must have been them. But I said
‘No, it is not them, but you have seen so-and-so, and so-and-so whom we saw when they set out.’

"I remained in the gathering for a while and then got up and left for my home. I ordered my slave-girl to get
my horse which was behind a hillock, and keep it ready for me. Then I took my spear and left by the back
door of my house dragging the lower end of the spear on the ground and keeping it low. Then I reached my
horse, mounted it and made it gallop.

"When I approached them (i.e. Muhammad and Abu Bakr), my horse stumbled and I fell down from it.
Then I stood up, got hold of my quiver and took out the divining arrows and drew lots as to whether I should
harm them (i.e. Muhammad and Abu Bakr) or not, and the lot which I disliked came out. But I mounted my
horse again and let it gallop, giving no importance to the divining arrows. When I heard the recitation of
the Qur'an by Allah’s Messenger who did not look hither and thither while Abu Bakr was doing it often,
suddenly the forelegs of my horse sank into the ground up to the knees, and I fell down from it. Then I
rebuked it and it got up but could hardly take out its forelegs from the ground, and when it stood up straight
again, its forelegs caused dust to rise up in the sky like smoke.

Then again I drew lots with the divining arrows, and the lot which I disliked came out. So I called upon
them to feel secure. They stopped, and I mounted my horse once again and went to them. When I saw how

106
I had been hampered from harming them, it came to my mind that the cause of Allah’s Messenger (i.e.
Islam) will become victorious. So I said to him, “Your people have assigned a reward equal to the blood
money for your head.” Then I told them all the plans the people of Makkah had made concerning them.
Then I offered them some food and goods for the journey but they refused to take anything and did not ask
for anything except that they said, “Do not tell others about us.” Then I requested him to write for me a
statement of security and peace. He ordered ‘Amir Ibn Fuhairah who wrote it for me on a parchment, and
then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, proceeded."

When Suraqah turned away from them, he kept turning back everyone who was in the trail of Allah’s
Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his Companion. He would say to them: “You
don’t need to check this route.” When it became clear that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him, had arrived in Madinah, Suraqah began to recount to people the story of his encounter with
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his kind treatment of him. This story became
so popular that the leaders of the Quraish were apprehensive that it would cause many people to accept
Islam. Meanwhile, Suraqah was the leader and chief of Banu Mudlij, so Abu Jahl, may Allah’s curse be
upon him, wrote to him a verse of poem:

O Banu Mudlij, I fear that you may be deluded

By Suraqah who is bent upon aiding Muhammad

Beware of him so that he may not dismember your ranks

And then you become disunited sequel to your having authority and dominance

Suraqah also composed a poem in response to Abu Jahl’s:

O Abu Hakam, by Allah, if you had witnessed

The spectacle of my steed as its shanks sank

You will marvel and you will have no doubt that Muhammad

Is a Messenger and a proof and whoever can withstand him?

You may dissuade the people from (accepting) him but I

Imagine a day when his milestone shall become manifest

Al-Bukhari related with his chain of narrations linking up to Ibn Shihab (who said) ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair
narrated to me that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, met Az-Zubair in a
caravan of Muslim merchants who were returning from Sham. Az-Zubair provided Allah’s Messenger,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and Abu Bakr with white clothes to wear. When the Muslims of
Madinah heard the news of the departure of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
from Makkah (toward Madinah), they started going to the Harrah every morning. They would wait for him
till the heat of the noon forced them to return. One day, after waiting for a long while, they returned home,
and when they went into their houses, a Jew climbed up the roof of one of the forts of his people to look for
something, and he saw Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his companions
dressed in white clothes emerging out of the desert mirage.

The Jew could not help shouting at the top of his voice, “O Arabs! Here is your great man whom you have
been waiting for!” So all the Muslims rushed to their arms and received Allah’s Messenger (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) on the summit of Harra. The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) turned with them to the right and alighted at the quarters of Bani Amr Ibn 'Awf, and this was on
Monday in the month of Rabee ul-Awwal. Abu Bakr stood up, receiving the people while Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) sat down and kept silent.
107
Some of the Ansar who came and had not seen Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) before, began to greet Abu Bakr, but when the sunshine fell on Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) and Abu Bakr came forward and shaded him with his sheet only then did the people
came to know Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) stayed with Bani Amr Ibn 'Awf for ten nights and established the mosque
(mosque of Quba’) which was founded on piety. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) prayed in it and then mounted his she-camel and proceeded, accompanied by the people till his she-
camel knelt down at (the place of) the Mosque of Allah’s Messenger at Madinah. Some Muslims used to
pray there in those days, and that place was a yard for drying dates belonging to Suhail and Sahl, the orphan
boys who were under the guardianship of As’ad Ibn Zurarah.

When his she-camel knelt down, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said, “This
place, Allah willing, will be our abiding place.” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) then called the two boys and told them to suggest a price for that yard so that he might take it as a
mosque. The two boys said, “No, but we will give it as a gift, O Allah’s Messenger!” Allah’s Messenger
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) then built a mosque there. The Prophet (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) himself started carrying unburnt bricks for its building and while doing so, he was
saying:

This load is better than the load of Khaibar, for it is more pious in the Sight of Allah and purer and better
rewardable

He was also saying, “O Allah! The actual reward is the reward of the Hereafter, so bestow Your Mercy on
the Ansar and the Muhajiroon.” Thus the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) recited (by
way of proverb) the poem of some Muslim poet whose name is unknown to me. Ibn Shibab said: “In the
Hadiths it does not occur that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) recited a
complete poetic verse other than this one.” This is Al-Bukhari’s wordings and he alone related to the
exclusion of Muslim. The Hadith also has corroborations from other paths without the story of Umm
Ma‘bad Al-Khuza‘iyyah.

Imam Ahmad related that Al-Bara’ narrated: Abu Bakr purchased a saddle from me for thirteen dirhams
from A'Azib. Abu Bakr said to A'Azib: ‘Ask Al-Bara’ to carry this saddle to my residence’ and he said,
“No, until you narrate to me what you both did on the night when you set out on a journey along with
Allah’s Messenger. Abu Bakr then said: We set out during the night and went on walking until it was noon,
and the path was lonely and so none passed by that (until) there appeared prominently before us a large
rock. It had its shade and the rays of the sun did not reach that place. So we alighted at that place. I then
went to the rock and leveled the ground with my hands at the place where the Messenger of Allah would
take rest under its shade. I then set the bedding and said: ‘Allah’s Messenger, go to sleep.’ He went to sleep
and I kept watch against possible scouts.

Then I saw a shepherd moving toward that rock with his flock and he intended what we intended (I. e.
taking rest). I met him and said to him: ‘Young boy, to whom do you belong?’ He said: ‘to a man from the
Quraish.’ He mentioned his name and I recognized him. I said, is there any milk in the udders of your sheep
and goats? He said: Yes. He took hold of a goat, and I said to him: Clean the udder well so that it should be
free from dust and impurity.

He dusted his hands on my order and he milked the goat for me into a container I had with me. I mixed
some water in the milk to make it cool and then came to Allah’s Messenger with it. I found that he had
already awakened, so I said to him: ‘drink, O Allah’s Messenger.” He drank it till I was delighted and I
said: “Is now not the time to move on?” so we proceeded while they were still pursuing us. No one caught
up with us except Suraqah Ibn Malik Ibn Ju‘shum who was trailing us on his horse. I said: “O Allah’s
Messenger, a scout has caught up with us.” Thereupon he said: “Do not worry, verily, Allah is with us.”

When Suraqah came close such that there was only a distance of the length of one, two or three spears,
again I said: “O Allah’s Messenger, a scout has caught up with us.” Then I wept. Allah’s Messenger (peace

108
and blessing of Allah be upon him) asked: “Why are you crying?” and I replied: “By Allah it is not the fear
for myself that caused my weeping rather I am weeping because of you.” Then Allah’s Messenger
supplicated against him saying: “O Allah suffice us with anything You wish.” Then the legs of his horse
sank into quicksand up to its belly and he jumped off it. He said: “O Muhammad, I know that this is your
handiwork but please supplicate to Allah to save me from my predicament and I take an oath that I shall
turn away everyone who would come in search of you. Here is my quiver, pick an arrow out of it. You will
come by my goats at such and such place; you may take from it as will satisfy your need.

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said to him: “No, I do not have any need for
it.” So he (Allah’s Messenger) supplicated to Allah and he was rescued and he went back to his companions.

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) proceeded until we reached Madinah and
people came out on rooftops on his pathways to welcome him. The servants and children scattered into the
streets while they were saying: “Allah is Great! Allah’s Messenger has arrived.” The people began to
contend as to where Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) should reside. Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “I will encamp with the tribe of Najjar, the
maternal uncles of Abdul-Muttalib as a mark of honor for them.” In the morning, he then went to where he
was commanded.

Al-Bara’ Ibn 'Azib narrated: Mus’ab Ibn Umair, the brother of Banu Abdud-Dar and Ibn Umm Maktoom,
the blind, a member of Banu Fihr were the first emigrants to come to us. Then there came Umar Ibn
AlKhattab along with twenty other Companions of the Messenger of Allah. We asked: “What happened to
Allah’s Messenger?” “He is coming after me,” he answered. Later on the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) himself arrived (at Madinah) along with Abu Bakr. Al-Bara’ added: Before
his arrival I had read a Soorah from the Mufassal.” It is related in the two saheehs from the Hadith of Isra’eel
without the statement of Al-Bara’: “The first of those who came to us” till the end.

Ibn Ishaq related: Then they set off. Abu Bakr took with him Amir Ibn Fuhairah, his freed slave, to serve
them on the way. Asma’Bint Abi Bakr narrated: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) and Abu Bakr had departed, Abu Jahl came to us with a group of Quraish…” and she
narrated how he struck her on her cheek so violently that her earring fell off her ear as mentioned previously.
She added: We remained for three nights without any news of the whereabout of Allah’s Messenger until a
man from the Jinn came from the lower part of Makkah chanting some verses of Arab poems. People
followed him to listen to his voice even without seeing him until he exited through the upper part of Makkah
saying:

May the Lord of Mankind grant the best of His rewards

To the two Companions who rested in the two tents of Umm Ma’bad

They both alighted with righteous intent

And they set off by nightfall. May Muhammad’s Companion prosper

May the place of Banu Ka’b’s woman bring them luck

For she was a watch for the Muslims

Asma’ continued: When we heard his voice, we knew that Allah’s Messenger was heading toward Madinah.

There were four of them: Allah’s Messenger, Abu Bakr, Amir Ibn Fuhairah, the freed slave of Abu Bakr
and Abdullah Ibn Arqad as related by Ibn Ishaq. However, the last person is popularly referred to as
Abdullah Ibn Uraiqit Ad-Du'ili Ad-Dawlee and at that time he was a polytheist.

It has been previously mentioned from Ibn Abbas that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) departed from Makkah on Monday and entered Madinah on Monday. The dominant view is that
109
there were fifteen days between his departure from Makkah and his entrance of Madinah because he stayed
in the cave of Thawr for three days and thereafter took to the route along the seashore which is the longest
of the roads leading to Madinah. They passed through the place of Umm Ma’bad Bint Ka’b from Banu
Ka’b Ibn Khuza’ah.

The Story of Umm Ma’bad Al-Khuzaa’iyyah

Yoonus related from Ibn Ishaq (that): Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) alighted
at the tent of Umm Ma’bad whose full name was Atikah Bint Khalaf Ibn Ma’bad Ibn Rabee’ah Ibn Asram,
expecting a hospitable reception. However Umm Ma’bad said: “By Allah, we neither have food nor even
anything to present to you. None of our goats is pregnant (so as to produce milk).” Then Allah’s Messenger
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) called for one of her goats and he rubbed its udder with his hands
and supplicated to Allah. The goat produced such a large quantity of milk which filled a large container.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Drink O Umm Ma’bad.” She
said: “No, you drink for you have more right to it.” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) insisted and she drank to her fill. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) called
for another goat and did as before and it also produced milk and he drank from it. He called for another goat
and repeated as the previous two and he gave its milk to his guide. For the fourth time, he called for another
goat, rubbed its udder and supplicated and milk flowed and he gave that to Amir. Then he relaxed.

The Quraish trailed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) till they reached
Umm Ma’bad and they asked her concerning him: “Did you see Muhammad with such and such
description?” They described his features to her. She said: “I do not know what you are talking about, but I
have been visited by one who milk non-pregnant goat.” The Quraish said: “That is the same person we are
looking for.”

At this juncture, Abu Nu‘aim mentioned the story of Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood: I was tending the sheep of
‘'Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu`ait when The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and Abu
Bakr met me after they had fled from the polytheists and they said, “O boy! Do you have any (any sheep
with) milk?” I replied: “Yes, but I have been entrusted with it (i.e. it is not mine).” Then he said, “Do you
have any young sheep that has not mate?” So I brought to him the sheep and he massaged its udders and
milk flowed from it and he collected it into a bowl and drank it and Abu Bakr also quenched his thirst. Then
he said to the udders of the sheep: “Cease!” and it ceased. Thereafter, I came to him and said: O Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), teach me these pure words (i.e. the Qur’an).” Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “You are a wellmannered boy.” I took directly
from his mouth seventy chapters and no one can contend with me concerning them. However, his statement
that ‘they had fled from the polytheists, ‘ is not about the time of hijrah, rather, it is about some incidents
that had occurred before the hijrah. Another reason is that Ibn Mas’ood was among those who had accepted
Islam long time earlier, made hijrah to Abyssinia and returned to Makkah as indicated earlier. Nevertheless,
this story of his is saheeh and recorded in the Book of saheehs and others. And Allah knows best.

Imam Ahmad related from Faaid the freed slave of ‘Ubaadil: I went out with Ibrahim Ibn AbdurRahmaan
Ibn Sa’d till we were at the stopover, then Ibn Sa’d came. Sa’d was the one who guided the mount of Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) on the way. Ibrahim said: “(inform me) what your
Father narrated to you?” Ibn Sa’d said: My Father narrated to me that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) came to them along with Abu Bakr and Abu Bakr had a daughter in fosterage with
us. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was seeking a short route to Madinah.
Sa’d said to him: “Close by is Al-Ghair (a mountain in Madinah) by mount where there are two highway
robbers from Aslam called Al-Muhaanaan (the two who are despised), if you wish, we will go through
them.” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Take us along to them.”

Sa’d continued: then we set off until we came close to them. One of them said to the other: “Here are the
Yemenis.” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) invited both of them and presented
Islam to them and they became Muslims. Then he inquired about their names and they said: “We are Al-
Muhaanaan.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Rather, you should
110
bear Al-Mukaramaan (the two noble ones).” Then he asked them to lead the way to Madinah. We set out
till we got to the outskirts of Quba and Banu Amr Ibn 'Awf welcomed him. The Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) asked them: “Where is Abu Umamah As’ad Ibn Zurarah?” Sa’d Ibn
Haythamah replied: “He is on his way, shouldn’t I inform him of that, O Allah’s Messenger?” Then the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) proceeded until he came by a palm groove
with its cistern filled. He turned to Abu Bakr and said: “This is the destination. It was shown to me (in my
dream) that I alighted at a cistern like that of Banu Mudlij.” Ahmad related this story exclusively.

Prophet Muhammad’s Entry into Madinah, where He Established His

Residence, and Related Issues
Al-Bukhari related from Az-Zuhri from Urwah that the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
entered Madinah in the mid-day.

I said that perhaps his arrival was after the midday because of what is established in the two saheehs from
the Hadith of Isra’eel from Ishaq from Al-Bara’ Ibn 'Azib from Abu Bakr concerning the Hadith of the
Hijrah. He said: We arrived in the night and the people began to contend as to with whom the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) should reside. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) said: “I will encamp with the tribe of Najjar, the maternal uncles of Abdul Muttalib
as a mark of honor for them.”

This, Allah knows best, perhaps occurred on the day of his arrival at Quba. Thus, it means that his arrival
close to Madinah was in the heat of the midday and stayed under the shade of that palm tree. Then he
proceeded with the Muslims and alighted at Quba that night.

Al-Bukhari related through Az-Zuhri from Urwah that Allah’s Messenger stayed with Banu Amr Ibn 'Awf
at Quba for about ten nights. He founded a mosque at Quba within those days and then the people rode with
him until his camel knelt at the spot where his mosque (in Madinah) was eventually built. At the time, the
spot was used as a drying place for dates and it belonged to orphan boys, Sahl and Suhail. The Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) bought it from them and turned it into a mosque. All
the while he was at the residence of Banu Najjar, Allah be pleased with them.

Imam Ahmad related from Anas Ibn Malik that: I was among the young children yelling: “Muhammad has
come!” I ran but saw nothing. Then they shouted: “Muhammad has come!” I ran but still I did not see
anything.

He continued: until Allah’s Messenger and his Companion came and we went to hide behind one of the
volcanic rocks of Madinah. Thereafter, they sent two men from the desert tribes to announce their arrival
to the Ansar. About five hundred Ansars came to meet them and they said: “Proceed (both of you) in security
and in being obeyed.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and his
Companion came to meet them. The people of Madinah came out en masse in such a way that even the
maidens above rooftops struggled to catch a glimpse of him saying: “Which one of them is him?” We never
saw a similitude of the spectacle of that day. Anas Ibn Malik said: “I saw him the day he came to us and the
day he was taken (in death) and I never saw anything similar to the two days.”

It is related in the two saheehs that Abu Bakr narrated concerning the Hadith of Hijrah that: The people
trooped out en masse when they both (Allah’s Messenger and Abu Bakr) arrived at Madinah and lined the
streets while young boys and slaves perched on rooftops yelling: “Allahu Akbar, Allah’s Messenger has
arrived! Allahu Akbar Muhammad has come!! Allahu Akbar Muhammad has come!!!” in the morning, they
proceeded and he went to where he was commanded.”

Ibn Ishaq related: Ali remained in Makkah for three days and night returning the deposits which the Prophet
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) had been entrusted with. Then he joined the Prophet (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) and lived with Kulthoom Ibn Al-Hidm. Ali had also stopped over in Quba
for one or two days. He used to say: There was a Muslim woman at Quba who had no husband. I used to
111
see a man come to her in the middle of night, knock at her door and when she comes out, he would give her
something he has brought and she would take it from him. I became suspicious of her so I said to her: “O
female servant of Allah, who is this man that always knock at your door every night and you would come
out and who would give you something I do not know? And you are a Muslim woman who has no husband?”
she replied: “The man who comes to me is Sahl Ibn Hunaif. He was aware of my predicament as a lonely
woman, in the night, he would attack the idols of his people, break them into pieces and the he would bring
them to me saying: ‘use this as your firewood, ‘ Ali recounted this exploit of Sahl Ibn Hunaif after he died
in Iraq while he was with him.

Ibn Ishaq related: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) witnessed the day of
Jumu’ah while he was with the Banu Salim Ibn 'Awf and he offered it in a mosque in the middle of the
valley of Ranoonaa. That was the first Jumu’ah ever established in Madinah. Then Uthman Ibn Malik and
Abbas Ibn Ubadah Ibn Nadlah led others from the Banu Salim to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him). They said to him: “O Messenger of Allah, stay with us for we are (great numbers)
of men, material and efficient protection.” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
said: “Let it go (i.e. his camel) for it is under (Divine) command.” So let the camel go and it proceeded until
it was parallel to the quarters of Banu Bayadah. Ziyad Ibn Labeed and Farwah Ibn Amr among some of
men from the Banu Bayadah met him and said: “O Messenger of Allah, come and benefit from our (great
numbers) of men, material and efficient protection.” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) said: “Let it go (i.e. his camel) for it is under (Divine) command.” They did so and the camel
went further until it got to the residence of Banu Harith Ibn Khazraj when Sa’d Ibn ar-Rabee’, Kharijah Ibn
Zaid and Abdullah Ibn Rawahah among their tribesmen interrupted its course and invited him saying: “O
Messenger of Allah, come and benefit from our (great numbers) of men, material and efficient protection.”
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Let it go (i.e. his camel) for it is under
(Divine) command.” They did so and the camel went ahead until it passed by the residence of Adiyy Ibn
An-Najjar who were the Messenger of Allah’s maternal relatives as the mother of Abdul-Muttalib, Salma
Bint Amr was one of their women. Saleet Ibn Qais, Abu Saleet, Usairah Ibn Abi Kharijah among men of
their tribes interrupted the course of the camel and made a similar appeal as the other clans inviting the
Messenger of Allah to stay with them. They said: “O Messenger of Allah, come over to your maternal
relatives to enjoy our (great numbers) of men, material and efficient protection.” Allah’s Messenger (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Let it go (i.e. his camel) for it is under (divine) command.” They
did so. The camel continued in its course until it got to the residence of Banu Malik Ibn An-Najjar, then it
knelt down at the spot where the door of his mosque is located today. At the time, the land belonged to the
two orphan boys – Sahl and Suhail, the two sons of Amr who were in the quarter of Mu’adh Ibn Afra’.

Moosa Ibn ‘'Uqbah said: Before Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) rode from
Banu Amr Ibn 'Awf, the Ansar had gathered swarming round the Messenger of Allah’s camel each person
contending with the others to hold the rein of the camel as a mark of honor and esteem for the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Each time it passed by a house of the Ansar, their
occupants would invite him to stay with them and he would say to them repeatedly: “Let it go (i.e. his
camel) for it is under (divine) command. I will stay where Allah wants me to stay.” When it got to the house
of Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansari, the camel knelt down at his door. So he alighted and stayed in his house until
his mosque and residence was built.

Al-Baihaqi related from Anas that: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) passed
by a group of Bani Najar and beating drum while saying:

We are neighbors from Banu An-Najjar

Supporters of Muhammad from among his neighbor

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah knows that I love you with my
heart.” It is related by Ibn Majah from Hisham Ibn Ammar from Eesa Ibn Yoonus.

112
In saheeh Al-Bukhari, Anas Ibn Malik said: The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) saw
the women and children (of the Ansar) coming forward. (The sub-narrator said), “I think that Anas said,
‘they were returning from a wedding party.” The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) stood
up and said thrice, “By Allah! You are from the most beloved people to me.”

Imam Ahmad related that Anas Ibn Malik said: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) came to Madinah while Abu Bakr was riding behind him. Abu Bakr was well known (among the Arab
tribes) while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was not. A man met Abu
Bakr and said to him: “O Abu Bakr, who is this man in your front?” Abu Bakr responded: “This is the man
guiding me.” One would think that Abu Bakr meant someone showing him the way (on his journey) not
knowing that Abu Bakr meant someone guiding him to path of goodness. Abu Bakr turned and he saw a
horseman who had caught up with them. He said: “O Prophet of Allah, a horseman has caught up with us.”
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) turn to look and then prayed: “O Allah throw
him.” Then his horse tripped and threw him off. It neighed and got up again. Seeing his fate, the man said:
“O Prophet of Allah, give me your command as you may wish.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) said, “Remain where you are and prevent anyone from catching up with us.” The
man started out the day warring against Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and
ended up becoming his reconnoiter.

He continued: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) alighted by a volcanic field
and then sent for the Ansar. They came, greeted him and said: “Ride on in security and in being obeyed.”
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and Abu Bakr rode on while they scattered
around him with their weapons.

It is also said that this incident occurred in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) came and the people raised their glance to look at him saying: “The Prophet of Allah has
come!” He proceeded slightly till he alighted beside Abu Ayyoob’s house. While the Prophet (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) was speaking with the family members of Abu Ayyoob, ‘Abdullah Ibn
Salam heard the news of his arrival while he himself was picking the dates for his family from his family
garden. He hurried to the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) carrying the dates which he
had collected for his family from the garden. He listened to Allah’s Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) and then went home.

The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) asked: “Whose house is the closest?” Abu Ayyoob
said: “Mine, O Prophet of Allah. This is my house and this is my door.” He said: “Go ahead and prepare
for us an accommodation.” He went and prepared a place for both of them and then he returned and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, I have prepared for both of you an accommodation.

It is also narrated that when the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) arrived, Abdullah Ibn
Salam came to him and declared: “I bear witness that you are truly a Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) of Allah and that you have come with the truth. The Jews are well aware that I am their leader
and son of their leader, the most knowledgeable of them and the son of the most knowledgeable amongst
them invite and ask them about my status amongst them. When the Jews came, the Messenger of Allah said
to them: “O Jews, woe to you, fear Allah for by Allah beside Whom there no other god, you know that I
am truly a Messenger of Allah and that I have with the truth so accept Islam.” They responded, “We do not
know him.” thrice.

Al-Baihaqi related from Abu Ayyoob that Allah’s Messenger had alighted in his house and he occupied the
lower storey, whereas Abu Ayyoob Ansari lived in the upper storey. One night, Abu Ayyoob Ansari got up
and said (to himself): (How unfortunate it is) that we walk above the head of Allah’s Messenger (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him), so they went aside and spent the night in a corner and then told Allah’s
Messenger about it whereupon Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “The
lower storey is more comfortable (for us).” However, he (Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansari) insisted: “We (would
not live) over the roof under which you live.” So Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) shifted to the upper storey, while Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansari shifted to the lower storey; and he (Abu
113
Ayyoob Ansari) used to prepare food for Allah’s Messenger; and when it was brought (back) to him he
would ask (to be shown) the part, where the Prophet’s fingers had touched (on the food), and he followed
his fingers on that part where his fingers (those of the Prophet) had touched. (One day) he prepared food
which contained garlic, and when it was returned to him he asked (to be shown) the part which the fingers
of Allah’s Messenger had touched. It was said to him that he had not eaten (the food). He (Abu Ayyoob Al-
Ansari) was distressed and went up to him (to the Prophet) and said: “Is it forbidden?” Allah’s Messenger
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “No, (it is not forbidden), but I do not like it,” and he (Abu
Ayyoob Al-Ansari) said: “I also do not like what you do not like or which you did not like.” He (Abu
Ayyoob Al-Ansari) said: (The Prophet did not eat garlic) as Allah’s Messenger was visited (by angels) and
brought him the message of Allah.”

It is recorded in the Saheehain from Anas Ibn Malik that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) said: “The worthiest clans of the Ansar are Banu Najjar, thereafter Banu Abdul-Ashhal;
thereafter Banul-Harith Ibn Al-Khazraj; thereafter Banu Sa’idah and there is goodness in all clans of the
Ansar.” Sa’d Ibn Ubadah said: “I see that he (the Prophet) has placed others above us.” It was said to (him):
“He has placed you above many others.” This is Bukhaari’s wordings.

Rather, honor and eminence have been confirmed for all of those who accepted Islam from the people of
Madinah who are the Ansar. Allah says:

“And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirooon (those who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and
the Ansar (the citizens of Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajiroon) and also those who followed
them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared
for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.”
(Soorah At-Tawbah [9]:100)

Allah (SWT) also says:

“And those who, before them, had homes (in Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who
emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the
booty of Bani An-Nadir), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in
need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the
successful.” (Al-Hashr [59]:9)

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “But for the emigration, I would have
been one of the Ansar: and if the people took their way in a valley (or a mountain pass), I would take the
Ansar’s valley or the mountain pass. The Ansar are my Karsh and my ‘Aibah.”

Al-Bukhari related that Al-Bara’ Ibn 'Azib narrated: I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) (or he said): “None loves the Ansar but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. So
Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them.”

Al-Bukhari also related that Anas Ibn Malik narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) that: “ Love for the Ansar is a sign of faith and hatred for the Ansar is a sign of hypocrisy.”

The city of Madinah was also honored with the migration of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him). It became a haven for the friends of Allah and his righteous servants, a bastion, a
stronghold and a fortress for the believers and a centre of guidance for the entire world. Ahadeeth
enumerating the excellence of Madinah are quite numerous. There is another section in which we shall
enumerate some of them insha’Allah.

It is recorded in the Saheehain that Abu Hurairah said: "Certainly, Belief returns and goes back to Madinah
as a snake returns and goes back to its hole (when in danger).”

In the two saheehs also, from the Hadith of Sa’eed Ibn Yasar who narrated that he heard from Abu Hurairah
that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “I was ordered to migrate to a town
114
which will swallow (conquer) other towns and is called Yathrib and that is Madinah, and it turns out (bad)
persons as a furnace removes the impurities of iron.”

Al-Baihaqi also related that Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) said: “O Allah, You brought me out from the most beloved city to me so grant me residence in
the most beloved city to You.” So Allah granted him residence in Madinah. This Hadith is extremely odd
(ghareeb).

The popular report from the majority (of scholar) is that Makkah is preferred over Madinah in excellence
except for the fact that the soil of Madinah encloses the dead body of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him). The majority of scholars have argued this out with evidences too long to mention
all of them here. The proper place is in the Book of the Rulings of Pilgrimage, insha’Allah. The most
prominent of their evidences is what is related by Imam Ahmad from Abu Salamah Ibn Abdur Rahman that
Abdullah Ibn Adiyy Ibn Al-Hamara’ informed him that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) saying while he was standing at Hazwarah in a Market in Makkah: “By Allah, I know you
are the best place on Allah’s earth and the most beloved of it to Allah. If not that your inhabitants expelled
me from you I would not have left.”

Notable events and occurrences of the first year of the hijrah of the Prophet
The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, agreed in the 16th, 17th or 18th year (of hijrah)
during the reign of Umar to begin the history of Islam from the year of Hijrah. This was when the
Commander of the faithful, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab received from Yemen a draft for some money between
two men which was due in Sha'aban. Umar asked: “Which Sha’ban? Is it the Sha’ban of this year, of the
previous or of the coming year?” So Umar convened an assembly of the Companions to seek their advice
on establishing a calendar system by which the due dates of loans and other events shall be calculated.

Someone suggested that the Persian calendar should be adopted. After discussion, he disliked the proposal
because the Roman calendar is based on the epochs of their kings, one after the other.

It was next considered whether the Roman calendar might be adopted. The Roman calendar was based on
the epoch of King Alexander Ibn Feelibbus Al-Maqdooni. Again, Umar detested this idea. Someone
suggested that the era should begin from the date of the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him). Some suggested that it should begin from his death. Another suggested that it should begin
from the date the Muslims migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah while another suggestion prefers the date
Allah’s Messenger died.

After much discussion, Umar tended toward the choice of the date of the Hijrah of Allah’s Messenger
because of its popularity and fame and they all agreed with him on that.

Al-Bukhari related in his saheeh that Sahl Ibn Sa’d said: “The Prophet’s Companions did not take as a
starting date for the Muslim calendar, the day, the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) had
been sent as a Messenger or the day of his death, but the day of his arrival at Al-Madinah.”

Ibn Jareer related that Uthman Ibn Mihsan narrated that Ibn Abbas used to say concerning the statement of
Allah: “By the dawn; By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah)” “That is Al-
Muharram, the outset of the year.

It is also related from Ubaid Ibn Umair that he said: Muharram is the month of Allah and it is the beginning
of the year in which the House (Ka’bah) is draped and by which the people know the date…” meaning that
they begin Islamic date from the year of Hijrah and they made the first month of the year to be Muharram
according to what is more popular among them. This is the opinion of the majority of Imams.

Suhaili and others also reported that Imam Malik said: “The first month of the Islamic year is the month of
Rabee’ ul-Awwal for it is the month in which Allah’s Messenger migrated. "In another place, Suhaili

115
adduced as evidence the statement of Allah: “mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on
piety…” (At-Tawbah [9]:108) i.e. on the first day Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) appeared in Madinah which is the first day of the Islamic calendar as agreed upon by the Companions
that the first calendar year is the year of Hijrah. No doubt, this is more fitting in the opinion of Imam Malik,
Allah have mercy on him. However, implementation runs contrary to his opinion because the first of the
months of Arab was Muharram so it was made the year of the Hijrah the first year of Islam and they made
Muharram its first month as is well known so that the order may not be confused. And Allah knows best.

We say, from Allah is the source of help, the year of the blessed Hijrah commenced while Allah’s Messenger
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was resident in Makkah and the Ansar had given their second
pledge of Aqabah and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) had permitted the
Muslims to migrate to Madinah. Subsequently, many of the Companions migrated to Madinah until no one
who is capable of migrating remained except Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
and Abu Bakr waited so as to accompany him on the way as we mentioned earlier. Then he left in the
manner we had extensively described earlier on while Ali Ibn Abi Talib stayed behind after the Prophet
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) on his order to restore to their owners the property left in his
care then he caught up with them at Quba. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
arrived on Monday close to the time the sun declined from the zenith of the midday.

When the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) arrived Al-Madinah, the first place he stayed
was the residence of Banu Amr Ibn 'Awf at Quba as mentioned earlier. He stayed there according to a more
popular opinion, for more than twenty nights and eighteen nights according to another opinion. Yet another
opinion puts his stay at about ten nights. Moosa Ibn 'Uqbah said: he stayed for three nights. The most
popular view according to Ibn Ishaq and others is that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) stayed with them at Quba from Monday till Friday. Within these different periods, he established
the Mosque of Quba. Suhaili claimed that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) established it on the first day of his arrival at Quba and based his claim on the statement of Allah:

“Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety.” (At-Tawbah [9]:108)

From the analysis of the statement, it is clear that what was established on the first day is the same honorable
and praiseworthy mosque about which Allah revealed:

“Never stand you therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more
worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah
loves those who make themselves clean and pure (i.e. who cleaned their private parts with dust [i.e. to be
considered as soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature].”
(AtTawbah[9]:108) As we have repeatedly mentioned in the Tafseer. We also mentioned the Hadith that is
recorded in Saheeh Muslim that the mosque in question is rather the Mosque in Al-Madinah and the
response to it.

We also mentioned the Hadith which is related by Imam Ahmad from Uwaim Ibn Sa’idah that the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) came to them in the Mosque of Quba and
said: “Allah has commended you with a most beautiful praise concerning the purification in your mosque.
So what is this purification to which you are used?” They responded: “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we
do not know any other reason except that we noticed that our Jewish neighbors used to wash their backside
after the call of nature and we washed our own backsides as they did.”

Abdullah Ibn Salam Accepts Islam

Abdullah Ibn Salam narrated: “When the Prophet arrived Al-Madinah, the people scurried to him and I was
among those who scurried to him. When I saw him I immediately knew that his face is not that of a liar.
The first thing I heard him say was: ‘O people, spread the greetings of peace (amongst yourselves), feed the
people, join the ties of kinship and stand in prayer in the night, while the (rest of the) people are asleep, you
will enter Paradise in peace.”
116
In the wordings of Al-Bukhari through Abdul-Azeez from Anas who narrated: When the Prophet (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) arrived (Al-Madinah) Abdullah Ibn Salam came and said “I testify that
you (i.e. Muhammad) are Messenger of Allah and that you have come with the Truth. The Jews know well
that I am their chief and the son of their chief and the most learned amongst them and the son of the most
learned amongst them. So send for them (i.e. Jews) and ask them about me before they know that I have
embraced Islam, for if they know that they will say about me things which are not correct.”

So Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) sent for them, and they came and entered.
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said to them, “O (the group of) Jews! Woe
to you: be afraid of Allah. By Allah beside Whom none has the right to be worshipped, you people know
for certain, that I am a Messenger of Allah and that I have come to you with the Truth, so embrace Islam.”
The Jews replied, “We do not know this.” So they said this to the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) and he repeated it thrice. Then he said, “What sort of a man is Abdullah Ibn Salam amongst
you?” They said, “He is our chief and the son of our chief and the most learned man, and the son of the
most learned amongst us.” He said, “What would you say if he should embrace Islam?” They said, “Allah
forbid! He cannot embrace Islam.” He said, “What would you think if he should embrace Islam?” They
said, “Allah forbid! He cannot embrace Islam.” He said, “What would you think if he should embrace
Islam?” They said, “Allah forbid! He cannot embrace Islam.” He said, “O Ibn Salam! Come out to them.”
He came out and said, “O (the group of) Jews! Fear Allah beside Whom none has the right to be worshipped.
You know for certain that he is a Messenger of Allah and that he has brought a True Religion!’ They said,
“You tell a lie.” On that, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) turned them out.

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was ready to leave Quba on his
camel, Al-Qaswa’, on Friday, it was at the time of midday. At that time he was in the residence of Banu
Salim Ibn 'Awf so he lead the Muslims in the Jumu’ah prayers there in a valley called Ranoona. That was
the first Jumu’ah prayer ever established by the Messenger of Allah at Al-Madinah or even ever at any
place. This is because he and his Companions were not able to settle in Makkah such that they could gather
and offer the Jumu’ah prayer with a Khutbah and public admonition. That was occasioned by the severity
of the opposition from the polytheists as well as their harm of him and Allah knows best.

Khutbah of the Messenger of Allah on that Day

Ibn Jareer related from Sa’eed Ibn Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Jumahi that it reached him that the Prophet’s
Khutbah in the first Jumu’ah which he led at Madinah in the quarters of Banu Salim Ibn Amr Ibn 'Awf,
Allah be pleased with him was:

“All praise is due to Allah. I thank Him and seek His aid. I ask His forgiveness, and seek His guidance. I
believe in Him and do not deny Him. I am the enemy of those who reject belief in Him. I bear witness that
there is no one worthy of worship, other than Allah, Him alone, without partner; and that Muhammad is
His servant and messenger whom He sent with guidance, true religion, light, and advice after a long gap of
time when no messengers were sent, knowledge was little, people were misguided, and time appeared to
have stopped as the Day of Judgment approached.

Whoever obeys Allah (SWT) and His messenger is wise and whoever disobeys them is astray, wasted, and
has lost his way far from the true path. I advise you to fear Allah (SWT) and be conscious of Him. Be
conscious of what Allah warned you of Himself. There is no better advice than that or a better reminder. It
is a shield for those who follow this advice carefully and cautiously and it is an aid, and the truth that will
get you what you aspire for on the Day of Judgment. Whosoever establishes a good relationship between
him and Allah, secretly and openly, only to seek the pleasure of Allah, will benefit in this life and be saved
in the afterlife when he will be in dire need of the good deeds he earned before death. Man will then wish
that there were a great distance between him and anything else other than taqwa.

Allah (SWT) warns you about Himself and He is kind to his servants. Allah, who has spoken the Truth and
fulfilled his promise, has said: “The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed, and I am not unjust
(to the least) to the slaves.” (Qaf [50]:29).
117
Fear Allah in your present and future affairs, in secret and in the open for Whosoever fears Allah (SWT)
and keeps his duty to Him, He will remit his sins from him, and will enlarge his reward. And Whosoever
fears Allah will achieve great success. Having taqwa (fearful awareness of Allah) protects man from Allah’s
anger, protects him from His punishment and protects him from His wrath. Taqwa illumines the face,
pleases the Lord, and elevates the rank.

Take what is determined for you and do not neglect your relationship with Allah. He has taught you His
book, laid down for you His path so that He will know which of you are the truthful and which of you are
the liars. Therefore, do good, just as Allah has done good to you, and be enemies to His enemies, (for Allah
has said:) “And strive in the way of Allah sincerely for He has chosen you and named you Muslims” ( and
“That those who have died (striving in His way) might die after a clear sign (had been given to them), and
those who go on to live might live after a clear sign (had been given to them)”. There is no strength other
than by Allah, thus increase the remembrance of Allah, and work for what will come after death, for
whosoever builds a good relationship with Allah, Allah will protect him from the harm or need of people.
Allah surely decrees what is destined for mankind, whereas they have no control over Him, and He has in
store for them what they cannot have in store for Him. Allah is great. There is no power except by Allah,
Elevated, the Great.”

The Building of his Noble Mosque During His Stay at the Residence of Abu
Ayyoob Al-Ansari
Al-Bukhari related that Anas Ibn Malik said: When Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) arrived at Madinah, he alighted at the upper part of Madinah among the people called Banu Amr
Ibn 'Awf and he stayed with them for fourteen nights. Then he sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar, and
they came, carrying their swords. As if I am just now looking at Allah’s Messenger on his she-camel with
Abu Bakr riding behind him (on the same camel) and the chiefs of Bani An-Najjar around him till he
dismounted in the courtyard of Abu Ayyoob’s home. The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) used to offer the prayer wherever the prayer was due, and he would pray even in sheepfolds. Then he
ordered that the mosque be built. He sent for the chiefs of Banu an-Najjaar, and when they came, he said,
“O Banu An-Najjar! Suggest to me the price of this garden of yours.” They replied “No! By Allah, we do
not demand its price except from Allah.”

In that garden there were the (following) things that I will tell you: Graves of pagans, unleveled land with
holes and pits etc., and date-palm trees. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
ordered that the graves of the pagans be dug up and, the unleveled land be leveled and the date-palm trees
be cut down. The trunks of the trees were arranged so as to form the wall facing the Qiblah. The stone
pillars were built at the sides of its gate. The companions of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) were carrying the stones and reciting some lyrics, and Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) was with them and they were saying, “O Allah! There is no good except the good of
the Hereafter, so bestow victory on the Ansar and the Muhajiroon." Al-Bukhari has related this Hadith in
another place and Muslim. We have stated earlier in Saheeh Al-Bukhari through Urwah that the location
where the mosque was sited used to be a place for drying dates belonging to two orphan boys living in the
quarters of As’ad Ibn Zurarah, Sahl and Suhail. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) bargained the price of the piece of land with them but they said: “We will rather give it to you
free of charge O Messenger of Allah,” but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) declined and bought it from them instead and he built a mosque on it.

Abu Dawood related that Ibn Umar narrated: In the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger the mosque was built of
adobes, its roof of the leaves of date-palms and its pillars of the stems of date-palms. Abu Bakr did not alter
it. Umar expanded it on the same pattern as it was in the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger by using adobes,
leaves of date-palms and changing the pillars into wooden ones. ‘Uthman changed it by expanding it to a
great extent and built its walls with engraved stones and lime and made its pillars of engraved stones and

118
its roof of teak wood.” This is how Al-Bukhari has related from Ali Ibn Al-Madini from Ya’qoob Ibn
Ibrahim.

I said: Uthman extended it based on his interpretation of the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) that: “He who built a mosque for Allah (as small) as the hole of a sand
grouse, Allah would build a house for him like it in Paradise” and the other Companions present agreed
with him on that and they did not change it after his demise.

Scholars have used this as evidence that the extension (of a mosque) takes the same ruling as the main
structure. Thus the ruling of the entire Mosque in terms of multiplication of reward for praying in it is
equally applicable to it according to a more correct opinion.

It was also extended during the time of Al-Waleed Ibn Abdul-Malik. On his orders, Umar Ibn AbdulAzeez
extended it when he was the Governor of Madinah and the apartment of the Prophet (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) was included as shall be explained in due course in the discussion on his death. There
were several other extensions after that. The direction of Qiblah was also extended till the Rawdah and the
minbar (pulpit) are located behind several front rows as can be observed today.

Abdur-Razzaq related that Umm Salamah said: When Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) and his Companions were building the Mosque, the other Companions would lift a brick each
but Ammar would lift two bricks at a time, one brick for himself and the other on behalf of Allah’s
Messenger. The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) massaged his back and said: “The son
of Sumayyah, while the people earn one reward each, your own reward will be double. Your last drink in
this world will be a drink of milk and then a transgressing group will kill you.” This chain comfirms to the
rules of the Saheehain.

Story of the Construction of the Prophet’s Mosque upon his plan

Al-Hafiz Al-Baihaqi related in ‘Ad-Dala’il’ from Safeenah, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) who said: “When the Messenger of Allah and built the mosque, Abu
Bakr brought a stone and placed it, then Umar came and did similar thing and Uthman also came with a
stone and placed it whereupon Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “These
are the men that will be in charge of authority after me.”

What is more well-known is the report of Imam Ahmad from Safeenah who said: “Khilafah shall be for
thirty years and thereafter there shall be kings.” Then Safeenah said: “Keep track (of the count); Abu Bakr
reigned for two years. Umar reigned for ten years. Uthman ruled for twelve years and Ali ruled for six
years.” This wording is that of Ahmad. It is also related by Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i through
Sa’eed Ibn Jumhan.

I said: At the beginning of the construction of the mosque of the Prophet, there was no minbar (pulpit) upon
which address is given. Instead, he would lean against a trunk in his Moosalla (prayer place) by the wall
toward the Qiblah. When a pulpit was built for him as will be addressed in its proper section, he gave
khutbah (address) on it instead. When he moved away from that trunk it cried like that of a pregnant she-
camel in great yearning for what it used to hear of the Khutbah of the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) descended (the pulpit) and embraced it while it continued
moaning like a child being quietened as shall be discussed in detail in due course.

A Reminder on the Excellence of this Noble and Exalted Mosque

Imam Ahmad related that Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri said: “Two men disagreed, one from Banu Khudrah and
the other from Banu Amr Ibn 'Awf, concerning the mosque founded upon Taqwa. The man from Khudrah
said: “It is the mosque of the Messenger of Allah” while the man from Banu Amr argued that it is the
mosque of Quba. So both of them came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon

119
him) to ask him concerning that and he said: “It is this mosque.” i.e. the mosque of the Messenger of Allah.
He also added: “In that is a lot of good.” i.e. the mosque of Quba.

In Saheeh Muslim, Abu Salamah Ibn Abdur-Rahman reported that Abdur-Rahman Ibn Abu Sa’eed
AlKhudri happened to pass by me and I said to him. “How did you hear your father making mention of the
mosque founded on Piety?” He said: “My father said: ‘I went to Allah’s Messenger as he was in the house
of one of his wives, and said: ‘Messenger of Allah, which of the two mosques is founded on piety?
Thereupon he took a handful of pebbles and threw them on the ground and then said: ‘This is the very
mosque of yours (mosque at Madinah).’”

Imam Ahmad related that Sahl Ibn Sa’d said: “Two men disagreed concerning the mosque founded upon
Taqwa. One said it is the mosque of the Messenger of Allah while the other argued that it is the mosque of
Quba. So both of them came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) to ask
him concerning that and he said: “It is this mosque.” i.e. the mosque of the Messenger of Allah.

These different paths through which this Hadith is narrated almost reaching the level of absoluteness
establish that the mosque in question is the mosque of the Messenger of Allah. This is the opinion of Umar,
his son Abdullah, Zaid Ibn Thabit, Sa’eed Ibn Moosayyab and the preferred opinion of Ibn Jareer. Others
however argued that there is no contradiction between this Hadith and the fact that the revelation of the
verse is concerning the mosque of Quba as explained previously. This is because the mosque of the Prophet
is more deserving of this description than the one of Quba for it is one of the three mosques one is permitted
to make preparation of journey to visit as established in the two saheehs from the Hadith of Abu Hurairah
who narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not set out on a
journey except for three Mosques i.e. This mosque of mine, Al-Masjid-AI-Haram and the Mosque of Al-
Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem).”

In the Saheehain Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
said: “What is between my house and my minbar is one of the meadows of the Garden, and my minbar is
on my watering-place (Al-Hawd).”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) built apartment for himself and his
family around his noble mosque. The rooms were small and with low roofs. Al-Hasan Ibn Abi Al-Hasan
Al-Basri who was a young boy living with his mother Khairah, the freed slave of Umm Salamah said: “I
used to touch the ceiling of the Prophet’s room with my hand.” I (the author) said: It is necessary to point
out that Al-Basri was a huge tall man. Allah’s mercy be upon him.

As-Sauhaili said in ‘Ar-Rawd: His apartments were built of palm fronds mixed with adobe and its entire
roof was made of palm fronds. The foregoing has been related from Al-Hasan Al-Basri. In Tareekh
AlBukhari, it is recorded that his door used to be knocked with nails and that is an indication that his doors
never had ring. He said: All the rooms were merged with the mosque after the death of the wives of the
Messenger of Allah.

The Fever of Madinah Afflicts the Muhajiroon, but the Messenger was Spared
by the Wisdom and Power of Allah (SWT). He Supplicated Allah and He
Removed the Fever from Madinah
Al-Bukhari related that 'A’ishah said: When Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
came to Madinah, Abu Bakr and Bilal got developed fever, and I went to both of them and said, “O my
Father, how do you feel? O Bilaal, how do you feel?” Whenever Abu Bakr’s fever got worse, he would say,

“Every man will meet his death once in one morning

while he will be among his family, for death is really nearer to him than his leather shoe laces (to his
feet).”

120
 And whenever fever deserted Bilal, he would say aloud,

“Would that I know whether I shall spend a night in the valley (of Makkah) with Idhkhir and Jaleel (i.e.
kinds of grass) around me,

and whether I shall drink one day the water of Majannah, and

whether I shall see once again the hills of Shamah and Tafeel?”

Then I went to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and told him of that. He
prayed, “O Allah, make us love Madinah as much as or more than we used to love Makkah, O Allah, make
it healthy and bless its Sa’ and Mudd (i.e. measures), and take away its fever to Al-Juhfah.”

It is recorded in the two saheehs that Ibn Abbas said: When Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) and his companions arrived (at Makkah) in the year of Umrah, the polytheists said, «There
have come to you a group of people who have been weakened by the fever of Yathrib (i.e. Madinah).» So
the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) ordered his companions to do Ramal (i.e. fast
walking) in the first three rounds of Tawaf around the Ka’bah and to walk in between the two corners (i.e.
the black stone and the Yemenite corner). The only cause which prevented the Prophet (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) from ordering them to do Ramal in all the rounds of Tawaf, was that he pitied them.

Establishment of a Pact of Brotherhood Between the Muhajiroon and the

Ansar
In Madinah, there were some groups of Jews from Banu Qainuqa’, Banu Nadeer, Banu Quraizah who had
came to the Arabian Peninsula well before the Ansar during the wars of Bukhtnassar when Palestine was
inundated from what was mentioned by At-Tabari. When the Sail Al-’Arim (flood released from the dam)
occurred, the people of Saba’ dispersed in different directions. Al-'Aws and Khazraj arrived Madinah
among the Jews with whom they entered into an alliance. They became assimilated to them when they saw
that they had an edge over them owing to the knowledge transmitted from the Prophets. However, Allah
bestowed favor upon the polytheists of Madinah through the guidance and Islam which they accepted.
Meanwhile, the Jews refused owing to their envy, transgression arrogance against the Truth.

Imam Ahmad related that Anas Ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) formed alliance between the Muhajiroon and the Ansar in the house of Anas Ibn Malik.

In Saheeh Muslim, Jabir narrated: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) made it
obligatory for every tribe (the payment) of blood-wit.”

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) wrote a
document between the Muhajiroon and the Ansar in which he made a agreement with the Jews and let them
deal with their religion and wealth as they deem. He equally spelt out the mutual obligations.

In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful. This is a document from Muhammad the
unlettered Prophet (governing the relations) between the believers and Muslims of Quraish and Yathrib and
those who have followed and striven with them. They are one community with the exclusion of other people.
The Muhajiroon of the Quraish based on their current state (with which they had been wen Islam came)
shall pay the blood money within themselves and shall ransom their prisoners on reasonable (terms) and
with justice among believers. Banu 'Awf according to their current state shall pay the blood money they
used to pay at first (before Islam) and every section shall ransom their prisoners according to reasonable
terms and with justice among believers.

(Then he mentioned every clan and house from the clans of the Ansar). Banu Al-Harith according to their
current state shall pay the blood money they used to pay at first and every section shall ransom their
prisoners according to reasonable terms and with justice among believers. Banu Sa’idah according to their

121
current state and Banu Jusham as well as Banu An-Najjar and Banu Amr Ibn 'Awf and Banu Nabeet up to
when he said:

Verily the believers shall not leave any destitute person among them without paying his ransom money or
blood money on reasonable term. A believer shall not make a pledge with the ally of another believer against
him. Whoever is rebellious and whoever seeks to spread injustice, sin, aggression, or corruption between
the believers, the hand of every believer who fears Allah shall be against him even if he be his child.

A Believer shall not kill another Believer for the sake of a disbeliever, nor shall he support a disbeliever
against a Believer. The protection of Allah is one and is extended to the least of them I status. The believers
are friends and protector of one another to the exclusion of other people.

Whosoever follows us among the Jews, for him shall be help and sympathy. They shall not be dealt with
unjustly nor shall anyone be aided against them. The Jews shall share in the expenses of war as long as they
fight alongside the Muslims. The Jews of Banu 'Awf are one community with the believers. To the believers
belong their religion and to the Jews belong their religion allies and persons except those who perpetrate
injustice and sinfulness and such a person hurts no one except themselves and their families. For the Jews
of Bani Najjar, Banu Al-Harith, Banu Sa’idah and Banu Ju'sham, Banu Al-Aws, Banu Tha’labah, Jufnah
and Banu Shateebah is something similar to that of Banu 'Awf. The entourage of the Jews is like themselves,
none of them will go out for war except with the permission of Muhammad but he shall not be hampered
from avenging for a wound. He who kills a man is like he had killed himself and his family except one who
has been wronged for Allah will accept that.

The Jews shall bear their own expenses and the Muslims shall bear their own expenses as well. Each must
help the other against anyone who fights against the people of this pact. They must seek mutual advice and
consultation, righteousness as opposed to sin. A man is not responsible for his ally’s misdemeanor. The
wronged must be helped. Verily, Yathrib is a sacred precinct for the people of this pact.

The Prophet’s Formation of Brotherhood Between the Muhajiroon and the

Ansar
Allah says: “And those who, before them, had homes (in Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those
who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the
booty of Bani An-Nadir), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in
need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.”
(Al-Hashr [59]:9)

He also says: “And to everyone, We have appointed heirs of that (property) left by parents and relatives.
To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood), give them their due portion (by Wasiyah
- wills, etc.). Truly, Allah is Ever a Witness over all things.” (An-Nisa’ [4]:33)

Al-Bukhari related: Ibn Abbas said, “In the verse: To everyone We have appointed heirs” (an-Nisa’ [4]:33).’
(And regarding the verse) “To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood)”, Ibn Abbas
said, “When the emigrants came to Madinah, the emigrants would inherit the Ansari excluding the latter’s
actual relatives (from inheriting) because of the bond of brotherhood which the Prophet established between
them (i.e. the emigrants and the Ansar). When the verse: “And to everyone We have appointed heirs” was
revealed, it cancelled the bond (the pledge) of brotherhood regarding inheritance).” Then he said, “The
verse: ‘To those also with whom you have made a pledge (brotherhood)’, remained valid regarding co-
operation and mutual advice, while the matter of inheritance was excluded and it became permissible to
assign something in one’s testament to the person who had the right of inheritance before.”

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) formed a
pact of brotherhood between the emigrants and the Ansar and he said, we seek Allah’s refuge from
attributing to him what he did not say: “Be brothers in Allah pair by pair.” Then he took Ali Ibn Abi Talib’s
hand and said: “This is my brother.” Meanwhile, the Messenger was the leader of all the Messengers, the
122
chief of the pious ones and a Messenger of the Lord of the worlds Who has no similitude or counterpart
among the servants yet he formed a brotherhood with Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Hamzah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib, the
Lion of Allah and the Lion of His Messenger and an uncle to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) became a brother to Zaid Ibn Harithah, the freed slave of Allah’s Messenger. Hamzah
bequeathed to Zaid on the day of the battle of Uhud in the event of his death. Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib, the
possessor of two wings and Mu’adh Ibn Jabal also became brothers.

Ibn Hisham added:

“At that time, it was in the absence of Ja’faar while he was at the land of Abyssinia.”

Al-Bukhari related in the chapter of how the Prophet formed the bond of brotherhood between his
Companions, that Abdur-Rahman Ibn 'Awf said, “ When we came to Madinah (as emigrants) Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) established a bond of brotherhood between me and
Sa’d Ibn Ar-Rabee’.” Abu Juhaifah said: The Prophet formed a bond of brother hood between Salman
AlFarisi and Abud-Darda’, Allah be pleased with them all.

Muhammad Ibn Yoosuf related that Sufyan narrated through Humaid from Anas that: When
AbdurRahmaan Ibn 'Awf arrived Al-Madinah, the Prophet formed a bond of brotherhood between him and
Sa’d Ibn ar-Rabee’ Al-Ansari. Sa’d offered him one half of his wives and wealth but Abdur-Rahmaan
declined saying: “May Allah bless you both in your family and wealth. Rather, show me the way to the
market.” Abdur-Rahman went to that market the following day and brought some dried butter-milk
(yoghurt) and butter. After a few days, the Prophet saw ‘Abdur-Rahman having traces of yellow (scent) on
his body. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “What is the matter, O
AbdurRahman?” and he replied, “I have married a woman from the Ansar.’ Then the Prophet asked, ‘How
much did you pay her?’ He replied, ‘(I gave her) a gold piece equal in weigh to a date stone (or a date stone
of gold)! The Prophet said, ‘Give a Waleemah (wedding feast) even if with one sheep'." This version is
solely reported by Al-Bukhari. He has also reported in another place. Imam Muslim also related it with
different chain through Al-Humaid.

Al-Bukhari related that Abu Hurairah said: The Ansar said to the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him), “Divide our date-palms between us and our emigrant brothers.” The Prophet said, “No.” The
Ansar said to the emigrants, “You may do the labor (in our gardens) and we will share the fruits with you.”
The emigrants said, “We hear and obey.” Al-Bukhari solely related it.

Abdur-Rahman Ibn Zaid Ibn Aslam narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) said to the Ansar: “Your brothers have left wealth and children and have emigrated to you.” The Ansar
said: “Divide our wealth into portions between us.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) said: “Or something else?” they asked: “What is that O Messenger of Allah?” the Prophet
said: “They are people who do not have the knowledge of farming. Let them work on your garden and then
share the fruits with them.” And they said: “Yes.”

The death of Abu Umamah As’ad Ibn Zurarah, One of the Twelve Delegates
on the Night of the Pledge of 'Aqabah
He had witnessed the three Aqabah pledges and was the first to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) on the night of the second pledge of Aqabah according to a view.
Muhammad Ibn Ishaq related from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) cauterized As’ad Ibn Zurarah while he was suffering from Shawkah. It narrators are trustworthy.

Ibn Ishaq related from Yahya Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdur-Rahman Ibn As’ad Ibn Zurarah that Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “How bad the death of Abu Umamah is for the
Jews and the hypocrites. They say, ‘if he was a Prophet (in truth), his Companion would not have died even
though I possess no power on behalf of myself and my Companions against Allah.” This indicates that he
123
was the first to die after the arrival of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in Madinah.
Abul-Hasan Ibn Al-Katheer had claimed in ‘Usdul-Ghabah’ that he died in Shawwal, seven months after
the arrival of the Prophet (in Madinah) but Allah knows best.

The Birth of Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair in Shawwal, the year of Hijrah

He was the first child to be born in Islam among the emigrants just as an-Nu’man Ibn Basheer was the first
child to be born amongst the Ansar after the migration of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him), Allah be pleased with both of them. Some have claimed that Ibn Az-Zubair was born
twenty months after the hijrah.

Al-Bukhari related that Asma’ conceived Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair, she narrated: “I migrated to Madinah
while I was at full term of pregnancy and alighted at Quba where I gave birth to him. Then I brought him
to the Prophet and put him in his lap. The Prophet asked for a date, chewed it, and put some of its juice in
the child’s mouth. So, the first thing that entered the child’s stomach was the saliva of Allah’s Messenger
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Then the Prophet rubbed the child’s palate with a date and
invoked for Allah’s Blessings on him, and he was the first child born amongst the Emigrants in AlIslam.”

Allah’s Messenger Consummated His Marriage with 'A’ishah in Shawwal

Imam Ahmad related that 'A’ishah said: “The Messenger of Allah married me in Shawwal, and
consummated his marriage with me during the month of Shawwal. And who among the wives of Allah’s
Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was dearer to him than I, and A’ishah used to like
that the women (of her family) should enter the houses as brides during the month of Shawwal.” This is
also related by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah from different chains through Sufyan
athThawri. Based on this, his consummation with her occurred seven or eight months after the Hijrah.

Ibn Jareer said: In this year, i.e. the first year of hijrah, the salat of the resident was increased from the two
rak‘ahs that it used to be. The salat of the traveler was left at two rak‘ahs. This occurred a month after the
arrival of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in Madinah after twelve nights have passed
in the month of Rabee' ul-Akhir.

I said: We have earlier cited the Hadith related by Al-Bukhari that 'A’ishah said: “When the prayers were
first enjoined they were of two Rak‘ahs each. Later the prayer in a journey was kept as it was but the prayers
for non-travelers were completed.” Al-Baihaqi has also related that Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that the prayer
of residents was first enjoined and it was enjoined four rak‘ahs.

The Legislation of Adhan (the call to prayer) Upon the Arrival of the Prophet
in Madinah
Ibn Ishaq said: when the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) settled down in Madinah and
his brethren among the emigrants had joined him and the affairs of the Ansar became settled and the
authority of Al-Islam was founded, the prayer was established, Zakah and Fasting were enjoined, laws were
promulgated, halal and haram were ordained and Islam held sway before their eyes. When the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) arrived at Madinah, people used to assemble for the
prayer, and used to guess the time for it. Then Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) decided to introduce a trumpet like that of the Jews which they used to gather adherents to their own
worship then he detested the idea. He requested for a bell which will be beaten to announce the time of
Salat to the Muslims. While they were still deliberating on that Abdullah Ibn Zaid Ibn Tha’labah Ibn Abd
Rabbihi who was paired with Bal-Harith Ibn Al-Khazraj had a dream in which he was taught the call to
prayer. He came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and said: “I was
visited (in my dream) by a visitor. I saw a man in two green pieces of cloth with a bell in his hand. I said to
him: “O servant of Allah, do you sell this bell?” He asked: “What do you intend to do with it?” and I said:
“I will call the people to the prayer with it.” Then he said: “Shouldn’t I direct you to that which is better
than that?” I asked, “What is that?” and he said: “Say Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu
124
Akbar, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ash’hadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasoolullah,
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasoolullah. Hayya alas-Salah, Hayya alas-Salah, Hayya alal-Falah, Hayya
alal-Falah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illallah

(Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest, I bear witness that none deserves
to be worshipped (in truth) except Allah, I bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped (in truth) except
Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah. Come to Salat, come to Salat. Come to success, come to success, Allah is Greatest,
Allah is Greatest. None deserves to be worshipped (in truth) except Allah)

When he informed the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), he said: “It is a true vision, by
the wish of Allah, teach Bilal the words so that he may call to the prayer by it for his voice is louder than
yours. When Bilal called to the prayer by those words, Umar heard it while he was in his house, he rushed
out to meet the Messenger of Allah while dragging his upper garment. When he got to him he said: “O
Prophet of Allah, I swear by Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I have also seen something similar to
what he has seen.” The Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) of Allah said: “Praise be to
Allah.” This Hadith has also been related by Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Ibn Khuzaimah
rom different routes.

Expedition of Hamzah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib

Ibn Jareer related: Al-Waqidi claimed that in the month of Ramadan exactly seven months after his Hijrah,
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) handed over a white flag to Hamzah Ibn
Abdul-Muttalib to lead thirty men in a military expedition to intercept the caravans of the Quraish and that
Hamzah met Aba Jahl at the head of three hundred of the Quraish, but the honor of Ibn Amr restrained them
and there was no fighting between the two groups. He added that the standard bearer of Hamzah in the
expedition was Abu Marthaid Al-Ghanawi.

The Expedition of Ubaidah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Abdul-Muttalib

Ibn Jareer related: Al-Waqidi also claimed that in the eight (month of hijrah) same year, the Prophet (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) gave a white battle flag to Ubaidah Ibn Al-Harith and commanded him
to march to the centre of Rabigh. His standard was held by Mistah Ibn Uthathah. When they reached
Thaniyyat Al-Marah close to Juhfah at the head sixty men of the emigrants, there was no Ansari man
amongst them, they met the polytheists by the water source called Ahyaa. An exchange of arrows ensued
between them but there was no sword fighting. Al-Waqidi said: The polytheists numbered two hundred
headed by Abu Sufyan Sakhr Ibn Harb and that is a confirmed report in our perception too but some also
claim that they were headed by Mikraz Ibn Hafs.

Expedition of Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas

Al-Waqidi related: In Dhul-Qa’dah of the same year, i.e. the first year (of Hijrah), the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) sent Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas on a military expedition to Kharrar
with a white flag held by Miqdad Ibn Al-Aswad. Abu Bakr Ibn Isma‘eel narrated to me through his father
from Amir Ibn Sa’d reporting that his father said: “I marched out at the head of twenty men on our feet, or
he said twenty one men. We would hide by day time and march forth by night until we arrived at Kharrar
in the early morning of the fifth day. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) had
taken a covenant from me never to go beyond Kharrar. Meanwhile, the sixty caravans had preceded me a
day before my arrival.” All of those who were with Sa’d (in that expedition) were from the emigrants.

Events of the Second Year of Hijrah

Several battles and expeditions occurred in this year. Among the most significant of those battles was the
great battle of Badr which occurred in the month of Ramadan. With that battle, Allah made a distinction

125
between the Truth and falsehood, between guidance and misguidance. Here, we relate about the battles and
military forays and Allah is the Source of help.

The Book of Military Expedition

Imam Muhammad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Yasar said in his book of history after mentioning the Rabbis of the Jews
and their pedigrees as well as their enmity toward Islam and its adherents and what was revealed concerning
them in the verses of the Qur’an. Among them was Huyayy Ibn Akhtab and his two brothers, Yasir and
Juday as well as Sallam Ibn Mishkam, Kinanah Ibn ar-Rabee’ Ibn Abil-Huqaiq, Sallam Ibn Abil-Huqaiq,
etc.

From the Banu Tha’labah Ibn Fityawn was Abdullah Ibn Sooriya. Throughout the Arabian Peninsula, no
one had more knowledge of the Tawrah than him. I (the author) said: It was said that he accepted Islam
along with Ibn Salooba and Mukhaireeq who accepted Islam on the Day of the Battle of Uhud as shall be
related shortly. He was the Rabbi of his people.

From the Banu Qainuqa’ were Zaid Ibn Al-Lusait, Sa’d Ibn Hunaif, Mahmood Ibn Saihaan, Uzaiz Ibn Abi
Uzaiz, Abdullah Ibn Saif, Suwaid Ibn Al-Harith, Rifa’ah Ibn Qais, Finhas, Ashya’ and Nu’man Ibn Ada’,
etc.

Ibn Ishaq added: From Quraizah were Az-Zubair Ibn Bataa Ibn Wahb, Azzal Ibn Shamweel, Ka’b Ibn Asad
who was the bearer of their pact which they repudiated in the year of Ahzab, Shamweel Ibn Zaid, Jabal Ibn
Amr Ibn Sukainah etc.

From Banu Zuraiq was Labeed Ibn A’sam who casted a spell on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) From the Jews of Banu Harithah was Kinanah Ibn Sooriya. From the Jews of Banu
Amr Ibn 'Awf was Qardam Ibn Amr. From the Jews of Banu An-Najjar was Silsilah Ibn Barham.

Ibn Ishaq added: All of these personalities were the Jewish Rabbis and the arrow heads of evil and enmity
toward the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and his Companions, Allah be
pleased with them all. They were also the questioning lots who were profuse in their putting questions to
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in their obstinacy, intransigence and
disbelief. They were also the ones who made the most strenuous efforts at exterminating Islam with the
exception of Abdullah Ibn Salaam and Mukhaireeq.

Then he mentioned the acceptance of Islam of Abdullah Ibn Salaam and that of his aunt Khalidah as
mentioned earlier on. He also mentioned the acceptance of Islam of Mukhaireeq on the Day of Uhud as
shall be mentioned in due course; and that he said to his people on the day of Sabbath: “O company of Jews,
by Allah, you are aware that the victory of Muhammad over you will come to pass.” They responded:
“Today is Sabbath.” He said: “There is no Sabbath for you.” Then he held his weapon and went out. He
entered into an agreement with his followers among his people saying: “If I am killed today, my wealth
should be turned over to Muhammad and he may dispose it in a manner deemed fit by Allah.” He was a
man of considerable wealth. So he joined the battle alongside the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) and fought relentlessly until he was killed, Allah be pleased with him. It has been
related to me that the Messenger used to say concerning him: “Mukhaireeq was the best of the
Jews.”

Then Ibn Ishaq mentioned those who inclined toward these Jewish adversaries among the hypocrites of
Aws and Khazraj. From the Aws were Zuwayy Ibn Al-Harith and Julas Ibn Suwaid Ibn as-Samit AlAnsari.
The following verse was revealed concerning him:

“They swear by Allah that they said nothing (bad), but really they said the word of disbelief, and they
disbelieved after accepting Islam.” (At-Tawbah [9]:74) in response to his statement when he lagged behind
from the Battle of Tabook: “If this man is truly (a Messenger) then we are in a worse situation than

126
donkeys.” His step son, Umair Ibn Sa’d overheard and exposed him to the Messenger of Allah. AlJulas
disputed and swore that he never made such a statement and that verse came down concerning him.

It is claimed that he repented so sincerely that he became well known for his Islam and righteousness. His
brother, Al-Harith Ibn Suwaid was the one who killed Al-Mujadhdhar Ibn Dhiyaad Al-Balawi and Qais Ibn
Zaid from Banu Dubai‘ah on the Day of the battle of Uhud. He marched forth alongside the Muslims while
he was a hypocrite. When the two armies met, he attacked and killed the two Muslims then went over to
join the Quraish.

Ibn Hisham related that Al-Mujadhdhar had killed his father, Suwaid Ibn Samit in one of the battles fought
between them during the period of Jahiliyyah so he avenged the death of his father against him in the Battle
of Uhud.

This how Ibn Hisham has related it meanwhile Ibn Ishaq had mentioned that the killer of Suwaid Ibn Samit
was Mu’adh Ibn ‘Afraa’ who killed him outside the field of battle before the occurrence the Battle of Bu‘ath.
He shot and killed him with an arrow. However, Ibn Hisham objects that Al-Harith be blamed for the killing
of Qais Ibn Zaid for, according to him, Ibn Ishaq himself did not count him among the casualties of the
battle of Uhud.

Ibn Ishaq related: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) had ordered Umar Ibn Al-
Khattab to kill him whenever he is captured. Al-Harith later sent a message to his brother, Julas requesting
him to seek penitence for him so that he may return to his people. Then Allah revealed concerning that,
according to what was related to me from Ibn 'Abbas: “How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved
after their belief and after they bore witness that the Messenger (Muhammad) is true and after clear proofs
had come unto them? And Allah guides not the people who are Zalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers).”
(Aal 'Imran [3]:86) till the end of the story.

He added: Among them were Bijad Ibn Uthman Ibn Amir and Nabtal Ibn Al-Harith who was the same
person about whom Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever wishes
to see Shaytan should have a look at this (person).” He was a bulky man with extremely dark-red skinned,
rough haired with reddish eyes. He used to hear words from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) and then he would relate it to the hypocrites. He was the same person who said: “Verily,
Muhammad is all ears, he believes whatever anyone tells him.” then Allah revealed:

“And among them are men who hurt the Prophet (Muhammad) and say: “He is (lending his) ear (to every
news).” (At-Tawbah [9]:61)

He added: Among them were Abu Habeebah Ibn Al-Az’ar who was among those who built the Masjid Ad-
Dirar as well as Tha’labah Ibn Hatib and Mu’attib Ibn Qushair both of whom were the duo who gave a
pledge to Allah that: “If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily, give Sadaqah (Zakah and
voluntary charity in Allah’s Cause) (At-Tawbah [9]:75) and then they reneged on their pledge and that verse
was revealed concerning them. Mu’attib was the same person who said on the day of the battle of Uhud:
“If we had anything to do with the affair, none of us would have been killed here.” Then Allah revealed the
verse concerning it: “Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would
certainly have gone forth to the place of their death,” He was the same person who said on the Day of
Ahzab: “Muhammad is promising that we will obtain the treasure of Kisra and Qaisar while each one of us
do not even feel safe going to the toilet.” Then Allah revealed concerning him:

“And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts) said: “Allah and His Messenger
promised us nothing but delusions!” (Al-Ahzab [33]:12)

Ibn Ishaq added: Among the Khazraj were Rafi’ Ibn Wadee’ah, Zaid Ibn Amr, Amr Ibn Qais, Qais Ibn Amr
Ibn Sahl, Al-Jadd Ibn Qais who was the same person who said: “Grant me leave (to be exempted from
Jihad) and put me not into trial.” (At-Tawbah [9]:49), Abdullah Ibn Ubayy Ibn Salool who was the same
person who said: “If we return to Al-Madinah, indeed the more honorable (‘Abdullah Ibn Ubayy Ibn Salool,

127
the chief of hypocrites at Al-Madinah) will expel there from the meaner (i.e. Allah’s Messenger).” (Al-
Munaafiqoon [63]:8). Considerable number of verses of the Qur’an had been revealed concerning him. It
was concerning him and the trustee of the man from Banu 'Awf as well as concerning Malik Ibn Abi
Qawqal, Suwaid and Da’is among his cohorts that Allah revealed: “Surely, if they (the Jews) are expelled,
never will they (hypocrites) go out with them.” (Al-Hashr [59]:12) when they inclined secretly toward Banu
an-Nadeer.

Those Who Accepted Islam Among the Jews Out of Dissimulation

Then Ibn Ishaq mentioned those who accepted Islam among the Jewish rabbis out of dissimulation while
they were still upon their disbelief internally. A group of the vilest hypocrites followed them. They were
Sa’d Ibn Hunaif, Zaid Ibn Al-Lusait who was the same person who said when the camel of the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) got lost: “Muhammad claims that he receives news
from the heavens meanwhile he does not know where his camel is?!” Then Allah’s Messenger (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) said: “By Allah, I know nothing except what I am taught by Allah and He
has guided me to where it (the camel) is. It is currently at this mountain pass detained by a tree which
hooked its rein.” Some men among the Muslims went toward the direction indicated by the Prophet (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) and found it as he has said.

He added: These hypocrites used to attend the mosque, listen to the discussions of the Muslims and they
would gibe and make jest of their religion. One day, a group of people gathered in the mosque and the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) saw them discussing in hushed tones while
they were closely clinged to one another. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him) called them and then turned them out of the mosque roughly.

The first military expedition was the expedition of Al-Abwa’ Also Referred to
as the Battle of Waddan
Al-Bukhari related in the Book of Military Expedition that Ibn Ishaq said: The first battle ever fought by
the Messenger of Allah was that of Al-Abwa’, then Buwat and then Al-Ushairah. It has also been narrated
from Zaid Ibn Arqam that he was asked, “How many Ghazawat did the Prophet undertake?” Zaid replied,
“Nineteen.” They said, “In how many Ghazawat did you join him?” He replied, “Seventeen.” I asked,
“Which of these was the first?” He replied, “Al-Usairah or Al-Ushairah.”

It is also recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhari from Buraidah who said: He participated in sixteen Ghazawat
alongside Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Imam Muslim also related that he
participated in sixteen battles. And in another narration it added that he participated in nineteen battles and
fought directly in eighteen of them.

Hanbal Ibn Ishaq related that Az-Zuhri said that the first Verse to be revealed concerning fighting was:

“Permission to fight is given to those (i.e. believers against disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and)
because they (believers) have been wronged.” (Al-Hajj [22]:39) this was after the arrival of the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in Madinah. The first one of the battles which he
personally witnessed was that of Badr which occurred on Jumu’ah of the 17th day of the month of Ramadan.

He also added that he (Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessing of Allah be upon him]) fought the battle of
Uhud in Shawwal i.e. in the third year and then he fought the battle of Khandaq also in Shawwal of the
fourth year (of Hijrah). He fought Banu Lihyan in Sha’ban the fifth year and then he fought in the battle of
Khaybar in the sixth year and then the conquest (of Makkah) occurred in Sha’ban of the eight year. The
Battle of Hunain occurred in the month of Ramadan of the same year. The Prophet fought the 11th battle
but did not personally fight in it.

The first battle fought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was that of Al-
Abwa’, then Al-‘Ushairah, then the battle of Ghatafan followed by the Battle of Banu Sulaim, then Ghazwah
128
of Al-Abwa’ followed by the first Badr, then the battle of At-Ta’if. Thereafter he fought the battle of
Hudaibiyah and then that of As-Safra’ followed by Tabook which was the last battle (he fought).

Then he mentioned military detachments that were sent out. This is how I have written it from the (book
of) history of Al-Hafiz Ibn Asakir and it is extremely odd. The correct version is what we shall mention in
their order shortly by the permission of Allah. This branch (of knowledge) is from those that is incumbent
to be concerned with, to be revered and to be prepared to acquire as narrated by Muhammad Ibn Umar Al-
Waqidi from Abdullah Ibn Umar Ibn Ali from his Father that he heard Ali Ibn Al-Husain saying: “We used
to teach about the battles of the Prophet just as we used to teach the chapters of the Qur’an.”

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, Allah have mercy on him, said in Al-Maghazi: Thereafter, Allah’s Messenger (peace
and blessing of Allah be upon him) girded his loins concerning what Allah has commanded him of Jihad
against His enemies. From Allah’s command was the fighting against who were close among the
polytheists.

Then Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) marched forth to fight in the month of
Safar exactly twelve months after his arrival at Madinah. Ibn Hisham added: And he appointed Sa’d Ibn
Ubadah over Madinah in his stead.

Ibn Ishaq continued: The Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) marched forth till he reached
Waddan which is also known as the Battle of Al-Abwa’. Ibn Jareer said: “It is also known as the Battle of
Waddan.” With the intention of fighting the Quraish and Banu Damrah Ibn Bakr Ibn Abd Manat Ibn
Kinanah but they made peace agreement with him and the one who made that peace pact amongst them was
Makhshi Ibn Amr Ad-Damri and he was their chief at the time. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him) returned to Madinah and no fighting ensued. He remained in Madinah for the
remainder of the month of Safar and the beginning of Rabee’ ul-Awwal. Ibn Hisham added: And that was
the first battle ever fought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).

Ibn Ishaq related: In his stead, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) appointed
Ubaidah Ibn Al-Harith Ibn Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Abd Manaf Ibn Qusayy to lead other sixty or eighty
horsemen from the emigrants. There was no single Ansari among them. He marched forth until he reached
the water of Hijaaz at the lower part of Thaniyyat Al-Marah. They confronted a great multitude of the
Quraish but no serious fighting took place between them except that Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas was hit by an
arrow that day. He was the first to be shot an arrow in the part of Allah in Al-Islam.

Ibn Ishaaq related: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) also appointed
Hamzah Ibn Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Hashim to in his stead to lead a military contingent comprising of thirty
horsemen only from the emigrants and none of them was an Ansari to the seashore in the direction of
AlAees. He met Abu Jahl Ibn Hisham at that sea coast ahead of three hundred riders from the people of
Makkah. Majdi Ibn Amr Al-Juhani restrained and made peace between both parties and they went their
different ways without a fight.

Ibn Ishaq also related: Some people say that the standard of Hamzah was the first war standard affixed by
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) for anyone among the Muslims and that
his dispatch and that of Ubaidah occurred simultaneously and so it became seeming to the people (that
Ubaidah was the first)

The Ghazwah of Buwat Toward Radwa

Ibn Ishaq related: Thereafter, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) marched forth
in the month of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal i.e. in the second year (of Hijrah) seeking the Quraish. Ibn Hisham added:
He appointed over Madinah, as-Sa’ib Ibn Uthman Ibn Maz’oon.

Ibn Ishaq continued: (He advanced) till he reached Buwat in the direction of Radwa and then he returned to
Madinah and he did not fight. He remained at Madinah for the remainder of the month of Rabee‘ ulAkhir

129
and some part of Jumada (Al-Ooula). Then he raided the Quraish i.e. in that raid referred to as the raid of
Al-Ushairah.

Ibn Hisham added: And he appointed Abu Salamah Ibn Abdul-Asad to deputies for him over Madinah. Al-
Bukhari related that Ibn Ishaq said: Once, while I was sitting beside Zaid Ibn Al-Arqam, he was asked,
“How many Ghazawat did the Prophet undertake?” Zaid replied, “Nineteen.” They said, “In how many
Ghazawat did you join him?” He replied, “Seventeen.” I asked, “Which of these was the first?” He replied,
“Al-’Ushair or Al-Usaira.” This Hadith clearly indicates that the first Ghazwah was that of AlUshairah.

Muhammad Ibn Ishaq related: On that day, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
said to Ali “O Abu Turab,” owing to the sand that was on him and we informed him what had occurred of
our affairs. So he said: “Shouldn’t I inform you of the two most wretched of men?” We said, “Yes, O
Messenger of Allah.” He said: “the man of Thamood who killed the camel and the one who would strike
you over here (i.e. on his forehead) until you are wet with your blood till,” placing his hand on his beard.”
This version of the Hadith is strange and has a corroboration from another version concerning the nick
naming of Ali ‘Abu Turab’ as contained in as-Saheeh Al-Bukhari that Ali once got angry with (his wife)
Fatimah, and went out (of his house) and slept in the mosque. The Prophet came to their house and asked
her of his whereabout and she said: “He went out angrily.” The Prophet came to the mosque and stirred him
up while removing the dust from his back, saying, “Get up, O Abu Turab!” The First Battle of Badr
Ibn Ishaq related: Thereafter, upon his return from the battle of Al-Ushairah, Allah’s Messenger (peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him) did not remain in Madinah except a few nights less than ten before he raided
Kurz Ibn Jabir Al-Fihri over the pastures of Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) marched forth to seek him until he reached a valley called ‘Safwan’ in the direction of Badr.
That was the first battle of Badr. Kuraz escaped and thus he could not catch up with him.

Al-Waqidi said: His standard (on that day) was borne by Ali Ibn Abi Talib.

Detachment of Abdullah Ibn Jahsh Which Was Incidental to the Great Battle
of Badr
Ibn Ishaq related: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) dispatched Abdullah
Ibn Jahsh Ibn Ri’ab Al-Asadi in the month of Rajab after returning from the botched first Badr along with
a group of eight men from the emigrants and there was not a single Ansari amongst them. The Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) wrote a document for him and ordered him not to open
it until they had travelled for two days and then they may read the document and then carry out whatever
command contained therein. He was also forbidden to coerce anyone among his companions. When they
had travelled for two days, they opened the document and they found written therein: “After you have read
my document, proceed until you descend into the palm tree plantation located between Makkah and Ta’if.
From here, you will surveil the Quraish and ferret for us information regarding their movements.” After he
had read the document, he responded ‘I have heard and I have obeyed.” He informed his companions of the
content of the document and said: “I have been forbidden to coerce anyone of you. So whoever of you
desires martyrdom then let him advance and whoever objects to it, let him return.”

Then a caravan of the Quraish passed by them carrying raisin and butter and some of their merchandise. In
the caravan was Amr Ibn Al-Hadrami. The people debated on whether to attack the caravan instead and
soon after they decided upon attacking the caravan. They embolden themselves against them and fell upon
whoever they were able to overpower and then dispossessed them of their belongings.

When they returned to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) in Madinah he blamed
them saying: “I did not send you to fight in the sacred month.” Their brethren from among the believers
equally upraided them over what they had done. The Quraish began to spread words around that Muhammad
and his companions have violated the sacred month.

When the people became persistent upon that, Allah revealed: “They ask you concerning fighting in the
130
Sacred Months (i.e. 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th months of the Islamic calendar). Say, 'Fighting therein is a great
(transgression) but a greater (transgression) with Allah is to prevent mankind from following the Way of
Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah), and to drive out its
inhabitants, and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you
back from your religion (Islamic Monotheism) if they can.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:217)

i.e. if you had fought in the sacred month, they had also prevented you from the path of Allah coupled with
their disbelief. They had also prevented you from the sacred mosque and had expelled you from there even
though you were its inhabitants. All of these are more grievous in the sight of Allah than your killing of
those whom you had killed from their rank. Moreover, Al-Fitnah is worse than killing i.e. they had put the
Muslim to trial (Fitnah) concerning his faith until they forced him to recant and return to disbelief after his
belief. That is far more grievous in the sight of Allah than killing. They have perpetrated something worse
and more heinous than that without remorse or restrain.

This is why Allah says: “And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion
(Islamic Monotheism) if they can.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:217)

Ibn Ishaq said: When the feeling of disappointment felt by Abdullah Ibn Jahsh and his companions had
eased owing to the revelation of the verse, they aspired for reward. They said: O Messenger of Allah, do
we have a hope that our expedition is that of Jihad for which we will obtain the reward of mujahidin?” Then
Allah revealed: “Verily, those who have believed, and those who have emigrated (for Allah’s Religion) and
have striven hard in the Way of Allah, all these hope for Allah’s Mercy. And Allah is OftForgiving, Most-
Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:218) Thus Allah described them with a hope greater than their expectation.

Ibn Ishaq said: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq rendered a poem concerning the expedition of Abdullah Ibn Jahsh in
response to what the polytheists were saying regarding the desecration of the sacred month. Ibn Hisham,
however, said that it was Abdullah Ibn Jahsh himself who rendered it: (excerpt from a long poem)

You consider our killing in the sacred month as something heinous

Meanwhile it is far more heinous in the perception of the guided conscious mind

Your alienation from what Muhammad is saying

And your disbelief in him, Allah Sees and Witnesses

Your expulsion (of the Believers) from the mosque of Allah

So that they may not be seen in the Mosque prostrating to Allah

The Changing of the Qiblah in the Second Year of Hijrah Prior to the Battle
of Badr
Some of them have said: that occurred in the month of Rajab second year of Hijrah. This is the opinion of
Qatadah, Zaid Ibn Aslam and an opinion related from Muhammad Ibn Is’haaq. Imam Ahmad has also
reported something to that effect from Ibn Abbas. It is also the apparent import of the Hadith of Al-Bara’
Ibn 'Azib as shall be mentioned shortly. However some others believe it occurred in the month of Sha’ban
of the same year.

Al-Bukhari related from Al-Bara’ Ibn 'Azib that: The Prophet performed prayer facing Bait-Al-Maqdis (i.e.
Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that his Qiblah would be the Ka’bahh (at
Makkah). (So Allah Revealed [Al-Baqarah [2]:144] and he offered Asr prayers (in his Mosque facing
Ka’bahh at Makkah) and some people prayed with him. A man from among those who had prayed with
him went out and passed by some people offering prayer in another mosque and they were in the state of
bowing. He said, “I, (swearing by Allah,) testify that I have prayed with the Prophet facing Makkah.”

131
Hearing that, they turned their faces to the Ka’bah while they were still bowing. Some men had died before
the Qiblah was changed toward the Ka’bah. They had been killed and we did not know what to say about
them (i.e. whether their prayers toward Jerusalem were accepted or not). So Allah revealed: “And Allah
would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered toward Jerusalem). Truly, Allah
is full of kindness, the Most Merciful toward mankind." (Al-Baqarah [2]:143)

The summary of the whole affairs is that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) used
to pray in Makkah toward Jerusalem while the Ka’bah was right there in his presence as related by Imam
Ahmad from Ibn Abbas, Allah be pleased with him. When he migrated to Madinah, it was impossible for
him to combined the two so he prayed while facing Jerusalem and backing the Ka’bah at the outset of his
arrival at Madinah. This continued for sixteen or seventeen months with the effect that it continued till
Rajab of the second year. And Allah knows best. All the while, the Prophet had wished that the Qiblah
would be changed to the Ka’bah which was the Qiblah of Ibrahim. He used to call profusely, humble himself
and supplicate to Allah. He would also raise his hands and his glance to the sky in earnest request for that.
Then Allah revealed:

“Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s) face toward the heaven. Surely, We shall turn
you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- Al-
Haram (at Makkah).” (Al-Baqarah [2]:144)

When the command to change the Qiblah was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him) addressed the Muslims and taught them the new command as related by An-Nasa’i
from Abu Sa’eed Ibn Al-Mu’alla and that occurred at the time of Zuhr. Some people, however, said that
the command for the redirection of the Qiblah occurred in between the two Salats. This is the view of
Mujahid and other than him and the proof for that is what is recorded in the two saheehs from Al-Bara’ that
the first prayer that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) offered in Madinah while
facing the Ka’bah was the Asr prayer.

Strangely, that information did not reach the people of Quba until the time of Subh prayer the next day
when someone came to them and said: “The Qur’an has been revealed to Allah’s Messenger and he has
been commanded to face the Ka’bah, so turn toward it. Prior to that time, they were facing Shaam so they
turned (while still in prayer) to face Ka’bah.”

The import of this is that when the command for the redirection of the Qiblah toward Ka’bah was revealed,
that constitutes an abrogation of praying toward Jerusalem.

Slanderous, foolish, ignorant and dim-witted fellows taunted: “What has turned them (Muslims) from their
Qiblah [prayer direction (toward Jerusalem)] to which they were used to face in prayer.” (AlBaqarah
[2]:142)

This and the disbelievers of the People of the Book knew that it is from Allah owing to what they had
found in their Books concerning the description of Muhammad and concerning the fact Madinah would
eventually be the place of his migration and that he would be commanded to face the Ka’bah as Allah
says:

“Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that
(your turning toward the direction of the Ka’bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord.”
(AlBaqarah [2]:144)

Along with this, Allah also responded to all their questions and obduracies. Allah says: “The fools (pagans,
hypocrites, and Jews) among the people will say, “What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah
[prayer direction (toward Jerusalem)] to which they were used to face in prayer.” Say, (O Muhammad) “to
Allah belong both, East and the West. He guides whom He wills to a Straight Way.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:142)
i.e. He is the Sovereign, the Director, the Judge Whose judgment cannot be interdicted. He legislates
whatever He wishes in His Shari’ah. He guides whom He wills to a Straight Way and leads astray whomever

132
He wills away from the Correct Path and in doing that He has Wisdom with which we must be pleased and
to which we must submit.

Then Allah says: “Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true
followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) nation.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:143)
i.e. the best of nations. “…that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness
over you.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:143) i.e. just as We have chosen for you the best of direction for your Salat and
guided you to the Qiblah of your father Ibrahim, the father of all the Prophets; to which Moosa and those
who came before him among the Messengers used to face in their prayers. Thus have We made you the best
of nations and quintessence of the worlds, the most noble group of both the ancient and recent times so that
you may be witnesses over mankind on the Day of Judgment owing to their unanimity on your preference
and their reference to you with superiority as established in saheeh AlBukhari from the Hadith of Abu
Sa’eed in a marfoo’ form regarding Nooh’s choice of this Ummah as his witness on the day of Judgment.
If Nooh has chosen them inspite of his time preceding theirs, then how much more those who came after
him.

Thereafter, Allah clarifies His Wisdom while informing of the advent of His indignation and wrath for the
one who doubts and is hesitant concerning this incident and the advent of His munificence for those who
believes and follows this being. Allah says: “And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction toward Jerusalem)
which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad).” (AlBaqarah [2]:143)

Ibn Abbas explains: i.e. so that We may distinguish between those who would follow the Messenger of
Allah “…from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great
(heavy)…” (Al-Baqarah [2]:143) i.e. even though the implication of this incident is great and hard “except
for those whom Allah guided.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:143) i.e. those who believe in it, accepts its reality without
entertaining doubt but are pleased and submit to it. They believe and act for there are true worshippers of
the Great Law-Giver, the Able and Omnipotent, the All-Aware, the Most Kind and Courteous and the All-
Knowing.

Allah says: “Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered toward
Jerusalem).” i.e. the legislation of praying toward Jerusalem. “Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most
Merciful toward mankind.” Ahadeeth and narrations concerning this are quite copious indeed more than
could be enumerated (here). However, they have been extensively discussed in the Tafseer. Nevertheless,
further explanation shall be provided in our book Al-Ahkam Al-Kabeer.

Imam Ahmad has related that 'A’ishah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be
upon him) said concerning the People of the Book: “They are not envious of us over anything as much as
they are envy us over Friday to which Allah guided us and which they missed. They are envious of us over
the direction of prayer which they missed and our saying “Ameen,” behind the Imam.”

The Obligation of Fast of Ramadan in the Second Year Prior to the Battle of
Badr
Allah says: “O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2). [Observing Saum (fasts)]
for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up)
from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice
either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord,
it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know. The month of Ramadan in which
was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion
(between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of
Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a
journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other
days. (Al-Baqarah [2]:183-185)

133
Imam Ahmad related that Mu’adh Ibn Jabal said: The prayer was transmuted in three situations and the
fasting was also transmuted in three situations. Then he mentioned the situations of prayer. Then he said:
“As for the situations of fasting, when Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) arrived
at Madinah, he used to fast three days in every month. Then he fasted Ashoora’. Thereafter Allah made
fasting obligatory upon him when He revealed: “O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is
prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:183) up to His statement:
“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or)
to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day).” (Al-Baqarah [2]:184) It used be that whoever wished fasted
and whoever wished fed the poor and Allah permitted that for them. Then Allah revealed the other verse:
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an,” (Al-Baqarah [2]:185) up to His statement: “So
whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home),
he must observe Saum (fasts) that month.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:185) Thus the fasting of that month becomes
obligatory upon the resident and the healthy and concession was provided for the ill and the one on a
journey. Feeding in lieu of fasting was established for the elderly who is unable to fast. These are the two
situations.

He added: They were permitted to eat, drink and have sexual relation with their wives as long as they did
not sleep. But if they slept, then they were to refrain. A man from the Ansar called Sirmah used work while
fasting till nightfall. One day, he came back to his wife, offered the Isha’ prayer and then he slept without
eating or drinking anything (to break the days’s fats) until daybreak. So he began the day’s fast like that.
Thereafter Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) saw him extremely exhausted and
he asked: “Why do you appear extremely exhausted?” Then the man informed him of his situation. Added
to that, Umar had had relationship with his wife after he had slept so he came to mention the incident to the
Messenger of Allah and then Allah revealed another verse:

“It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum (the fasts),”
(Al-Baqarah [2]:187) up to “..then complete your Saum (fast) till the nightfall.” (Al-Baqarah [2]:187)

134